Dearest William and Vivian,
Today you turn 7. Happy Birthday, my darlings.
I hope you think being 6 has been a lot of fun. You know I’m not good at the big things. I’m not good at planning birthday parties, taking you on a zillion outings (or even two—unless they involve a bookstore and a library), or writing plays for you to act out.
But I think I’m okay at the little things. At laughing at the dinner table, at wrestling, at making music practice manageable by banging my forehead on the keys, at impersonating Donald Duck.
I hope that you will come to see that the little things often matter more than the big ones.
I hope you “get” this blog someday. I’m not going to lie. I blog for me. But I also blog for you.
I hope that someday you will come to know me as a person in addition to a mom. I hope you will realize that—in spite of my many, many failings—that I love you “across my howt [heart] and back again.” I hope you know in your core that I am “a comback-er woman” as you declared years ago.
I hope that you will come to understand that while I laugh at you, I laugh more at myself. I hope you’ll see this as a gift.
I hope that you know how thankful I am for you both.
I hope.
For you.
For me.
For all of us.
And I know.
I know the world is much, much better with you a part of it.
May 7 be your best year yet.
What a beautiful letter to your children. They will love it when they are older.
If we all survive that long…
Twins are special. Ours just turned nine. Your letter shows a proud mom, they’ll love that even more as they get older.
You made it to 9? Congrats!
Very sweet. And your blog is a great way for them to really “know” you one day, not as a mother but as a person.
I hope so. It’s also a document they can turn in to their therapist.
A very happy birthday to you both. Twins are super special.
Thanks, Bill. And your avatar always makes me smile.
The little moments are the best.
They will love this letter, and your blog. Full of fun stories to tell their children someday.
Thanks, Kel. It took me a while to figure out the importance of little moments. Pretty sure I’m a slow learner.
Wonderful. Touching.
I still think they would have preferred an X-box, but hey.
Well, William’s favourite initials are “DS.”
That is so cute. You’re such a great mum!
I don’t know about that… but thanks…
Happy Birthday, William and Vivian!!! Hope you have a wonderful day!!! Hard to believe you’re 7 years old today!!! Love to see you both again sometime.
Thanks, Jen! Hopefully we’ll connect some day soon…
Seven already?? Where does the time go? Happy Birthday, Thing 1 and Thing 2. May you have the best birthday ever, knowing that you’re in good hands. You’ve got an amazing mom who I’m pretty sure thinks you both are the cat’s pajamas! 🙂
I love the saying “the cat’s pajamas.” I have no idea where it came from (and I’m too lazy to google it) but I still love it!
V&W HAPPY B DAY you have 6 more years of fun until you can REAL.torment your mom anddad as teenagers. Enjoy this time if you can YouTube your mom doing her Donald duck impression for all of us to see 🙂
Thanks, Mark. Yes…I can wait a few more years until the teens. Somehow, I think dealing with 97 people’s other teens will be infinitely easier than with my own. And Donald Duck. Coming to you by Canada Day: I promise.
You’re a special Mom – and person! Your children are blessed.
Thanks, eh? Sometimes, though, there’s a fine line between being blessed and cursed. Sigh.
Happy Birthday Vivian and William!
You have a fab avatar, if I haven’t said that before.
Not much I can add to that. You’re comebacker mom of the year eh?
I am a comebacker. Guaranteed, eh?
That is a very sweet letter, Leanne. Almost as sweet as the drink you’ll enjoy after the b-day party, no?
Drink=consumed. Sweet indeed.
Love this. 🙂 Your little ones have a good momma.
Good enough, I hope. (thanks!)
Happy B’day Vivian and William. Leanne, you are an awesome mom !
Thanks, Shreya. I’m not sure about the awesomeness, but I thank you anyway!
You are a superstar comebacker mom. Happy Birthday kids! Time passes so quickly, doesn’t it?
It does. It always begs the question, “how did I mark the passing of time before I had kids?”
This was one of my favorite posts from you…yet. I loved it!
Thanks, Rob.
I’ll take bookstores and libraries over planning parties any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
Me too.
So, so sweet! And I love that picture of them!
Happy birthday, William and Vivian!
Yes, I don’t post many pics. I thought I good slip these in!
What a beautiful letter. Wouldn’t it be cool to write a letter every birthday for each child and to seal them until they are old enough to understand? Too late for me, but a good idea for someone just starting.
That would be cool. I had once thought I’d write them each a poem for their birthdays. Obviously that hasn’t happened…
Yeah, Monkey will be dragging his documents to his therapist as well. At least your kids will always have each other. You know, to team up against you. 😉 Seriously, a beautiful letter which explains your love for your children, your love for life, and your love for writing.
They are sooooo lucky. One day they’ll figure that out.
As they say in Arabic, inshallah.
Every now and then sassy me takes a seat. Then she jumps up and demands to be center stage (sorry kids). I think we should start a series of T-shirts for kids. “My mom was a blogger and now I’m in therapy.”
That was a wonderful letter. Very honest. I think that our children will EVENTUALLY understand us…but it won’t happen until they have children of their own. Didn’t you appreciate your mother more AFTER you had children?
I agree with you, it’s the “little things”, the daily occurances, that matter soooo much more than the big, wonderful events. Ummm…I really hope trips to the library count otherwise, I’m screwed. 🙂
That is so true. I also hug my mom way more now. It’s hard to imagine the hug factory drying up. Sigh.
Dear Mrs. Comeback-er Woman:
This was perfect.
And you are right that the little things mean so much more…(although I’d argue that talking like Donald Duck is pretty big).
Your kids are very lucky. And I know you feel very lucky, too.
So much love all around…
So happy birthday to YOU!
(because after all, your life changed forever on the day they were born.)
And may seven be your best year, too.
Aww, Julie, thanks. You wrote that beautifully (or as my kids used to say when they were little, bootiflee).
Here’s to 7. Well done, mom.
Thanks, eh?
Aw. It’s true IMO that they will love that you wrote about them even if you did it for you. And as you mentioned they’ll realize you are a multidimensional person. Sidenote: 7 HOLY CR*P!
I hope you’re right. Too late, I guess, if you’re not! 😉
Mine are 15 and 13 and I could swear they are really 1 and 3. I mean, they were 1 and 3 when I put them to bed last night. They are by no means finished growing. Neither am I, for that matter. But they aren’t my little kids any more. And I hope. . . . Great post, Leanne.
Thanks, Piper. I have a theory about teens. Add the digits in their age together and expect that behavior. (e.g. Your 15yo. 1 + 5 = expected behavior of a 6yo).
A great and touching post, Leanne. (I really need to get on that for my own kids….)
Happy Birthday to Thing 1 and Thing 2! May it be a great year!
Thanks, Dave. I figure one nice post per year might get them to cut me some slack later on…
I’m late to the party, Leanne…Happy Birthday to William and Vivian! Seven is a fun age…I’m sure they’ll think of many more things to make your days challenging! I love that you’re the kind of mom that doesn’t seem to sweat the little stuff…
Beautiful post which I know they’ll appreciate in about 15 years!
Wendy
Thanks, Wendy. And it’s never too late to a birthday party. I hope you’re right about them appreciating it someday.