Best Mothers Day gift: Time to herself!

The running joke at our house is what has become my traditional Mothers Day gift. When my daughter was three, her idea of a great gift was a giant tub of GummiBears. After presenting me with these, she climbed up onto my lap and said, "We can share."

The candy in question has changed to GummiWorms or fruity gumdrops, but that's basically become the tradition. I understand now why Anna Jarvis - the woman who founded Mothers Day - rebelled against it once it became obvious it was just another excuse to spend, spend, spend on cards, flowers and candy (which the kids end up eating). And I know when I was my daughter's age, I was just as guilty with the gift-giving department. My mother had these two beautiful perfume bottles I just loved. The first time she received "her" perfume, she laughed. But I can't remember if it was the second, third (or more) time when she finally said, "How many times are you going to give these to me?!"

But as I was out on this sunny Saturday before Mother's Day, one thing I noticed (and took photographic proof of) was lots of fathers out with their young children. Could they be the ones that realize that the thing most of us mothers with young children need most is time for ourselves?!

I know it's a little selfish of me, especially when my daughter is telling me her plans of making me breakfast in bed and giving me a spa treatment. But I know I'm the one that will be left cleaning up the messes left behind. Here's hoping I can convince her to have Daddy pick up some breakfast carryout and let Mommy sleep in instead...

If not, I'll bring in what's left of the GummiBears on Monday. (And I wonder if I should try to get some perfume for my mom this year...)