Motherhood Meme October 12, 2007

| October 13, 2007

 

I was tagged today by hairyshoefairy. Thanks,  Pumpkin!  Fun!

How long have you been a Mom?
28 years and a little bit more

2. How many children call you Mommy/Mom/Mama?:
Four who actually use the term “Mom”, plus one in-law kid (NYDD) who, after almost 5 years of marriage to HSF, still doesn’t know what to call me so he goes with Grandma.

3. Girl? Boy? or both?
boy (28), girl (25), boy (22), girl (15), who, BTW, is already being asked by numerous boys when she will be 16…oh dear.

4. Did you know what you were having?:
Not on the first three.  Ultrasound in the 70’s and 80’s was limited to diagnostic imaging and wasn’t done routinely.  Teeny came along enough later that we got to have an ultrasound with her, but only because I was so dang old (36).  We could tell she was a girl and it was fun to know ahead of time.

5. How old were you when you became a Mom?
22, 25, 29, 36

6. How long were you in labor?
13 hours the first time, 6 hours the second time, and 5 hours on the 3rd and 4th times

Apparently question #7 is missing. ?????

8. What was your least favorite thing about labor?
Every time it was the back labor that bugged me the most.  I had an epidural block with each delivery, and shouted Hallelujiah about that.  The freakiest thing was that with Teeny, the epidural didn’t work on one particular nerve bundle, so every contraction sent pain into my right pelvis and leg, but everything else was numb.  Go figure.  It was none fun and very strange.

9. Do you want more kids?:

NO!  But thanks for asking…  More grandbabies would be good though…(eventually)

10. Do you plan on having more soon?:
As I’m almost 51 years old and had a hysterectomy a few months ago, probably not.  And BTW, to any one who happens to read this, menopause is not a terrible thing!  Hip Hooray for middle age!

11. Does daddy change diapers?

Not currently, but he did way back when.  Happily, diaper changing isn’t occuring in our lives right now, but I imagine it will again someday.  Although they will probably be diapers of a different size and sort…hmmmm…Depends, anyone?

12. How many times have you been peed on?:
Too many.

13. Barfed on?:
Again, too  many.  Our oldet boy, Jazz, was born with a heart defect and barfing is part of the territory with that, so for the first few months he barfed every time he ate.  Not just plain old urping up, but projectile barfing.  The memories kind of make me shudder.

14. Is your child named after anyone?
Jazz’s first name is after his dad, and his middle name is after my dad.  HSF’s first name is after  a favorite babysitter from my childhood, and her middle name is after my mom.  Fuffy’s  first name is just one we both liked, and his middle name is after  Piano Man’s dad and my brother.  Teeny’s first name is after my grandma and her middle name is after me.  That was long, wasn’t it?

15. How did you come up with their name(s)?
See above

16. When your child(ren) gets in trouble, who is the bad guy?
Nobody gets in too much trouble anymore.  Did I mention I like being middle aged?  Piano Man and I were pretty equal about good cop/bad cop.

17. And who is the good guy?
See above.  I guess you could ask our kids.  They would probably remember better, but if they say I was the bad guy, they are wrong, Wrong, WRONG!!!

18. What is the longest you have been away from your child(ren)?
We were apart from Jeff for 2 years and I didn’t like it.  HSF and NYDD have lived away from us for over two years, but we get to see them every now and then and that makes it easier, but I’m still somewhat cranky about it.  We’ve been away from Jazz and Teeny for about 2 1/2 weeks I think.

19. Kids bedtime routine?
When the kids were young we usually tried to read a story or two and sing a couple of songs before bedtime.  My repertoire of lullabies was limited to 3 or 4 that were somewhat gruesome and frightful and could have been based on “Grimm’s Fairy Tales”.  Mostly I sang Primary songs.  Teeny loved to have me sing “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” to her night after night, all 7 verses.  I knew she was just trying to buy more time, but I love that song, so I didn’t mind.  I think I sang to her at bedtime until she was about 11 or 12.  Now I don’t know what their bedtime routines are, because I’m old and tired and I go to bed before everyone else!

20. Are your toes painted?
Yes, but the paint is chippy.  They need to be redone, but oh well.

21. Last movie you saw in the theater?
Hairspray, which I thought was hilarious.  Watching stiff old what’s-his-name (Tracy’s dad) singing and dancing was a riot.  Oh yeah, Christopher Walken.  So funny.

22. Last time you had a date?
A week ago.  We go out almost every weekend with friends in the neighborhood.  Last week we went to dinner at Iggy’s, then went and relaxed in their hot tub.  Nice.

23. One thing you will not give up just because you are a mom?
It’s been so long I can’t remember.  I know I kept sewing and crafting and cooking (for fun) when my kids were young, so I guess I’d say those things.

24. One thing you did give up now that you’re a mom?
It seems like I recall thinking that I had given up my own identity for a number of years.  I was somebody’s mom or somebody’s wife and sometimes I couldn’t remember who I was or what I enjoyed doing.  I also gave up sleeping late in the mornings once my kids got into school, and now I’ve become a morning person!  Yuck!

25. Best Mom you know?
My mom was a great mom, and I plan to tell her that when I see her again.  She died 18 years ago.   I know I told her when she was alive, but I’m sure I didn’t tell her often enough.  I hope she knows.  Another great mom is my daughter, HSF.  She is darling with Peanut and I love seeing her being a mom.  It’s very rewarding to see your kids love doing the same things you love, like parenting.  I get to be a kindergarten teacher, so I see many really good moms every day.   Hooray for the moms of the world!

I’m not tagging anyone, because HSF already tagged all the moms I know.