How the REST was Won

In the beginning there were the mothers. (The fathers were also there but they often had to go out and do some hunting and gathering so the mothers were left alone with the screaming things they earned their title with.)

The mothers carried the screaming things and learned to appease them with rocking, singing, food, diaper changes, and by never EVER putting them down. Even for a second.

The mothers forgot that bathrooms had doors. Except that one time when they, in sleep deprived zombie mode, closed it. The pounding and crying which ensued was enough to remind the mothers never to do that again.

The mothers got up in the middle of the night for more appeasing attempts. They lost sleep and energy. Their huts were completely disorganized as were their thoughts (if they had any at all)(which they might have if they had gotten some sleep).

The mothers sat up listening for sounds of breathing on the screaming things' monitor and worried over every sniffle, sneeze, and cough. They were on a first name basis with the witch doctor who specialized in screaming things and they had the number on their speed dial.

Through all this, and more, the mothers loved the screaming things and called them babies.

And the babies loved the mothers.

As time marched forward many things changed. Banks realized the stay at home mothers did not want to have to unload all the accouterments just to make a deposit.

Viola! Drive thru banking!

Some mothers were not about to deal with washing all those diapers.

Two solutions: diaper service and Pampers (Oh, God Bless Pampers!).

The mothers even banded together and demanded (and got) portable battery operated swings.

Little tricks were learned and the mothers shared these hard won insights with each other. Being the mother became a little bit easier.

One thing, however did not change and that was the fierce love the mothers carried for each of their babies. (They are still babies even if the 'baby' in question is 45).

The mommies knew this was their calling. They knew they were put on this earth solely to love those little screaming babies as much as they could.

But they just wanted 1 hour so they could take a nap.

Not really much to ask for.

So someone decided the mothers should get that nap.

Once a year.

And after many millennium of sleep deprivation, the mothers got their nap day; we call it Mother's Day.

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Happy Mother's Day to all the moms I know and love.

And especially to my mom. She is the mother of all mothers. She is my hero, my best friend, and my mom.