Mothers' Day!

Yesterday was Mothers' Day. I was greeted with coffee in bed - my favorite - and left to work in the kitchen while Dan and Vi went to the grocery store for a few forgotten ingredients. I got my quiche in the oven and prepped a salad for brunch at my mother's. I spread a layer of vanilla pudding on top of the jell-o cake I had prepared the day before. I took a shower!!! And, I got dressed before they returned.

Vi was very excited to show me my "happy to you," as she calls anything related to birthdays or holidays. She was very helpful in the un-wrapping of my present - an amaryllis bulb to plant! Dan said she had picked out the card herself - pointed directly at the one with the chimpanzee and said "Doggies!!!!"

We headed up to Cumberland to treat my mother to brunch. Vi was contentedly captivated by a cup with fruit and ice cream for the entire meal. We had a goat cheese/tomatoe/spinach quiche, homemade oatmeal raisin bread, fruit "parfait," salad, iced tea and hot coffee. YUM. Vi went down for a nap and we all sat around visiting. Tim and Amy arrived just after Vi woke up, and then came Mark and Dan. Vi was pretty excited to see all of her uncles. She gave them all a tickle and a high-five as we left, and she gave Grammy a big hug and a kiss, and said "Happy to YOU! I looooooyooooooo!!" It was super-sweet and we all (mom and me) almost cried.

Next up was Cape Elizabeth for Louise's Mothers' Day dinner and Dan's birthday dinner. We forgot to bring Vi's booster seat/high chair, so dinnertime was challenging. Not to toot my own horn, but I think everyone agreed that the jell-o cake was the highlight of the entire meal. Louise was in disbelief that I had withheld this creation for so many years. Vi decided we were leaving and starting saying "Bye-bye!" and wandering toward the door. She tried to wear Louise's shoes out - which looked very silly with her jam-jams - then came back for hugs and kisses. She gave Louise a "Happy to YOU!" and said to Greg (Gargamel) "Happy to YOU! I looooyoooo, Gar-gar."

She went down to bed easily - a busy day tired her right out. Dan poked his head in as she was drifting off, and she whispered over and over again, "I loooyooo, Daddy."

Mmm. I just wanted to stay there in the rocking chair, smelling her forehead and feeling her little fingers pat-pat-patting me as she drifted off...all night long. A fine, sweet Mothers' Day indeed.