"Mommy"

I don't know how many times I am called this in a day.  Francesca's calls in the morning: Mommy.  Francesca's calls from the bathroom: Mommy.  Francesca telling me news from school or asking me if she can have a special treat or watch a show.  She uses it in expert 3 year old negotiation strategies and she uses it to say goodnight.  She says it when she asks for a glass of milk or to tell me she can do something by herself.  I say this word too.  I occasionally use it in the 3rd person: "silly Mommy" or when I am trying to teach Lilian my name.  This word is spoken so much that I don't really think about it and although I reflect often about parenting, it wasn't until last week that I felt the "mommyness" of myself. 

Somehow after the kids had been put to bed and the kitchen was cleaned and the toys were put away and the laundry was folded, I garnered just enough energy to look through Francesca's backpack.  In the bright red folder, all crinkly from being stuffed inside a toddler sized backpack, I found a piece of Francesca's schoolwork (above).  Well, bowl me over!  In a flash, I realized that I am a "Mommy."  All of the small actions of each day - the waking up, the breakfast on the table, and yes the negotiations, the hugs and holding hands, the dancing and crying and baths and books read- all of these things add up to being a "Mommy." 

Now, the next question is: what exactly am I doing in the picture?  This time, I am just not going to ask.  I am going to take it for what it is: a message that I am thought of outside of the home and that, yes, I am now and forever will be a "Mommy."