Happy Mothers Day to Me, Early

May is the best month. No contest. And it looks like we're going to get our money's worth this year.

Times have been on the tough side here. Not like "I have cancer" tough, or anything, but Epu's work hours have increased substantially and that's not easy on a work-from-home mama. But the past 24 hours, so many good things have happened to me that I thought I'd take a moment to celebrate them before they're washed away in the tide of daily busy:

1. Yesterday both kids napped well, allowing me to make major headway on one of two job applications I've been putting together this week.* One of my fellow moms picked Nutmeg up from school and kept her at the playground until naptime was over, allowing me uninterrupted Get It Done Time.

2. Then we went to the playground and it was sunny and beautiful and everyone had a good time for hours.

3. I put the girls in the double jogger, strapped the baby to my back, and walked over to a house where a neighbor had offered some Highlights magazines through Freecycle. The flowers are out and the sun was not in our eyes the whole way. My allergies were only moderate.

4. When I got the magazines, I handed the "High Five" variety to Pebbles and the regular "Highlights" to Nutmeg, and I barely heard a sound except for the turning of pages the whole walk home. No, at 3 Pebbles can't read yet but she was enthralled enough by looking at the pictures. Toth dozed with his head against my back, and that moment felt like coasting down a fast hill on a good bike: Three kids all at peace, warm spring breeze, thinking about how much I love the town where we live and my wonderful family and the fact that I'm able to be outdoors with them during this afternoon instead of cooped up in an office.

5. The girls stayed in that stroller reading while I nursed and fed the baby.

6. I whipped up a quick supper involving a lot of vegetables that the kids didn't love. But I told Nutmeg that it would mean a lot to me if she would eat the serving I gave her, because I'd worked hard to get something healthy on the table. While I was putting the baby to bed, she ate the whole thing. We won't talk about Pebbles and her eating habits.

7. After they were in bed, although Epu wasn't home yet, I ignored the messy kitchen and finished my project. Major sigh of relief.

8. The baby is down to just one wakeup per night, allowing me to get to bed a little earlier.

9. This morning a teacher at school called to talk to me about Nutmeg and it was all good. I won't say more except that I'm so glad that the school is now more aware of her abilities.

10. Epu managed to get both girls signed up for summer gymnastics while he was at the gym with Pebbles, even though I totally missed the in-person sign-up last night.

11. Parenthesis was having a Mother's Day party with massages and treats.

12. I won a gorgeous vase of flowers in the raffle!

13. When I picked Pebbles up from her room at Parenthesis, she ran to me, announced "Happy Muzzer's Day!" and proudly presented me with a book she'd made full of photos from her. Then she accurately showed me where it said "Happy Mother's Day" and where it said her name. She was jumping upside down and beaming and I immediately forgave her for failing to eat a single vegetable in her entire life.

OK, now I've probably jinxed my streak of good luck and happy moments, but I wanted to share. And now I'm off to wake up kids who fell asleep way too late for that afternoon nap and pick up Nutmeg from school. So, not all wine and roses. But I may just drink a glass of wine tonight and look at my bouquet!

* I didn't think I wanted a job, what with those lovely afternoon moments, and all. But a couple of opportunities have come up recently that would be so perfect for me that I couldn't help but investigate. So, we'll see.