Give a little; get a little

It's the weekend. Oh weekends, how I love thee. You're like my very own version of a weekly Christmas. I know it won't be this way for long, because next year it will seem more weekend-like on a daily basis when there's no more day job, but for the next few weeks, I'll continue to covet every minute of our time together, miss you when you're gone, and smile, smile, smile when you finally come back into my life. And this weekend is special. It's Mother's Day....a whole day just for me to spend doing whatever I so choose (yeah, right).

Earlier this week, I e-mailed my hubby from work and asked him to add a movie to our Netflix account (you can see where my priorities were that day), and he responded with, "Yes, dear. Anything for you." Anything? You mean it? So, I quickly responded and said that in that case I'd like a beach vacation and a drink with an umbrella. My hubby, being the smart, never sarcastic man that he is, wrote back and simply told me to be excited because every day is a vacation from the beach, there's an umbrella in the closet, and to help myself to all the water I desire. Nice try, babe.

 Well, it may not be a beach vacation, but this weekend I will enjoy in the grandest of ways. In my family, we love to give. In fact, I come from a long line of givers. My mother has got to be the most generous person I've ever met. I do believe that she has spent every spare, and even some not-so-spare, penny on me since I was born. She gives to me even when she can't give to herself. As a single parent for most of my childhood, I never went without anything, needed, wanted, or a combination of the two. Sometimes I even feel as though I can't relate to friends who also grew in homes with a single mom, because unlike so many of them, I never did without. My mom scrimped and saved and did without so that I could have. Although I'm now a big girl with my own job, my mom continues to give. And I must say, it is wonderful, especially since now I find myself, in the spirit of tradition, doing without so that I may give, give, give to my daughters. So, what a better way for me to celebrate my life as a mom than to do one of my very favorite things? Give. There may not be many things I do well, but I'd like to believe that giving is one of them. I remember birthdays, I send snail mail, and I hunt, hunt, hunt for what I consider to be the perfect gift. I am the queen of "happies", and I mean it when I say that one of my greatest joys comes from giving to those I love. And I love my Libby. So, I'll be giving my Mother's Day to her, in a sense.

In case you haven't been reading regularly, she's been having a case of the nitty gritties lately. It's hard being a big sister. It's seemingly even harder to be five. In an attempt to make this tough time of tranisition a little easier for her, we are having a weekend devoted to the first born....and the best part is, she had no idea what was coming her way.
Libby's weekend began Friday night,when my friend Adrianna, whom I am quickly coming to adore, and I took Lib and her daughter, Cassie, to our local high school for some entertainment. Oh, the nightlife of a mother. Before the show we went out to eat.

As you can see, nutrition was a priority.  

The show was QUITE the hit with the little ones. There's no denying that Lib enjoyed herself.

I even got her some new 'bling' for the occassion.

However, the best part was definitely yet to come. The next morning, my mom and I plotted and had Libby convinced that she was doomed to a day of yardwork with her parentals. She was quite surprised when her Mimi rang the doorbell at just after eight that morning. And, according to the Libster it was time to "get this party started!". 

Where did she want to go first? To Sonic. For a rootbeer float. At 8:30 in the a.m. Oh, she's a girl after my own heart.

Once we got out of town, we headed to the place where dreams come true. The place where you can find whatever it is your little heart desires. The place my checkbook loves and my hubby dreads.....Target.

Lib is quite the fan.

After lunch, Lib decided she wanted to try to repair the damage from this week's self-proclaimed haircut. So, off to the salon we went.

And then, of all the places she could have chosen, we ended up at the park that used to be just outside of our old neighborhood. It's a place she has played so many times and where she truly feels comfortable. What could be better than that?

And don't worry, folks, I made the most of my time at the park as well.

Lib swang......and swang.....and swang.....and then swang some more after that.

Thankfully, she had the world's greatest pusher there with her.

My mom absolutely adores this child, and I think this picture proves that to be true.

She had a great day. It was a day just for the firstborn. A day that didn't know hold on's, just a mintue's, I'll be right there's, or let me just get this one thing for Hollyn's.

It was a great day. It wasn't perfect, but no day truly ever is. It was, however, the perfect way for me to celebrate being her mom and a chance for me to give her the time she's been cravin'. And for that, I am so thankful.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there who have ever loved a little one so much it hurts.