But Mama, I Need You.
But Mama, I Need You.
If you have a little one—and you’re not a superhuman mom—you’ve heard these words. And like me, perhaps you’ve even gotten a little frazzled by them.
As a mom, a wife, and a 40(plus)-hour a week marketing professional, sometimes it feels like I’m always in demand. On the days I walk into the office early to try to get a little more caught up, it never fails that someone else came in almost as early and needs my ear for just a minute. Or 45. And with the nature of my position, I just don’t have the leeway to say no, I really don’t have a minute.
I come home from work, and it addition to the energy-filled, hilarious spitfire that is our almost three-year-old, I’m greeted by the sweet little 6-pound Morkie who absolutely needs me to show him I’m just as excited to see him as he is to see me. Here’s a little snapshot of our entrance into the house on any given weekday:
A: Mom, can I have a snack?
Me: Get into the house and take your shoes off first, please.
{bark, lick, bark}
A: Can I play outside?
{bark, jump}
Me: It’s not warm enough to play outside yet hunny, please get inside.
A: Why, Mama, why?
{bark, bark, jump, lick}
Me: Adelyn, just get all the way in the door so we can set everything down and we’ll talk.
A: I’m hungry! I need a snack, Mama! Please!
{bark]
Me: I know {bark, lick, jump}, but I can’t get you a snack until we get.into.the.house. Now please go up the step, take your shoes off and I’ll get you a snack while I start dinner.
A: I’m trying, but Kiva keeps pushing me. Mama!
{bark, jump}
Me: Adelyn, he’s 6 pounds; he’s not pushing you. And he wouldn’t be jumping on you if you would just walk into the house.
{lick, lick, bark}
Adelyn: He keeps licking me! Mama, I need you!
Me: I will help you take off your shoes when you walk.into.the.house.
Just another 45 seconds of everyday chaos in the life of a mom. Ya with me?
Walking into our new house that I absolutely love, I’m then still reminded of the semi-settled in state when I see the blank walls in every area other than the living room and Adelyn’s bedroom. Next week. Next week I’ll start working on the décor for the rest of the house. Wait, I’m out of town again next week aren’t I?
Ah yes, there’s my suitcase. Empty from last week’s trip but waiting around to be filled again for next week’s. I’ll just tuck that around the wall in the basement. Out of sight out of mind, right? What city am I going to again? Oh that’s right, dinner.
But first, a snack for Adelyn. And let the dog out. And, what’s that? Oh you need milk with your snack? But not in the blue cup? The pink cup is in daddy’s car. No, he can’t come home just to bring you your pink cup. Oh, right, dinner. We have 20 minutes before Husby comes home. What can I whip up in 20 minutes…what’s that, Adelyn? Your doll is crying? Can you change her diaper this time? I think she can wait to have her diaper changed until I start dinner then. Yes, I’m sure. Hunny, she’s a doll. She doesn’t need me to change her diaper right now. But she’s crying? Why don’t you tell her it’s time to try big girl undies like you wear? Right, of course, because she’s a baby.
But Mama, I need you.
What do those words really mean? They mean I have a toddler. They mean I have a beautiful little family that wants me to be a part of what they’re doing. They mean this tiny being with this outstandingly overwhelmingly sweet (and sassy) personality knows she can rely on me to take care of her. To take care of her doll. To disconnect from all the other busyness in life to focus on her.
Adelyn’s been fighting ear infection after ear infection since the beginning of January. Husby and I definitely take for granted how tough she is, because her pediatrician is typically stunned by the severity of the infection when we finally bring her in because she never complains until it’s just that bad.
Last night at bedtime she just kept saying Mama, I need you. Don’t go. I need you to stay.
In the back of my mind I was thinking about everything I still wanted to get done before I went to bed. My mind was stirring around the desire to spend a little time with Husby before I was too tired for meaningful conversation anymore. And while a part of me went back to all the parenting tips that mandate a child learn to deal with bedtime on their own, instead I let her crawl into my lap, curl up, and fall asleep there.
And let me tell you, when she was finally asleep and I laid that little human being back in her bed, she rolled over in her sleep and in her unconscious state whispered thank you, mama.
Oh sweet girl, you may think you need me, but I…I need you.
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