I never had a nickname growing up, unless you’d count the one strange summer I answered to the name of Rabbit by my preteen campers. Perhaps it was in honor of the two high ponytails I wore. What was I thinking – only someone as little and cute as Sarah can get away with that. My counselor friends all had these great nicknames like The Binker (!) and Sukey and Mikey – well, I thought they were cute at the time, and I WANTED one. Was I un-nickname-able? Not cute, funny, athletic, smart, fill-in-the-blank enough?
But then I became a grandmother. With a vengeance. 9 grandkids in 7 years. Yup. Multiplication (which, don’t tell my students, I still have trouble with) at work in my very own family: three kids with three kids. My son has three, too, you know. And two of them are twins!
Jamis was the first, so he got to pick my grandmother name, although Sarah and I pushed him in the right direction. I absolutely was not going to be called Grandma, or Nanny, or worse, Granny. I am just not the Granny type. At least not yet. And so, as my initials are GG, I became simply gg to all the grandkids. Or maybe that was a backdoor reference to grandmotherhood: Grandma Gail? Or maybe the Greatest of Grandmothers??
And gg has morphed into The Geege, and Geege-arondack (B’s inspiration during a visit to the Adirondacks), and occasionally Grandma, and I answer to them all, with great pleasure. I finally have a pet name, and it means more to me than my 18 year old self ever could have imagined. Because it means I AM a grandmother, and there is absolutely, positively nothing better than that.
But now I have acquired another name. momalomsmom. A nom de plume. And it is the golden key that grants me entrance to this wonderful blog, and to Five for Ten. What a week this has been. I have laughed (often), and teared up (just as often), and remembered, remembered, remembered. It was lovely. And you women are lovely. Brave and strong and funny and wise amidst the frustrations and pleasures of raising a family. But most of all, you are honest. So incredibly honest. I thought at first that was because you didn’t know each other, and so had nothing vested in a “relationship.” But this week I realized that you DO know each other, just in a different way. That this relationship through writing allows you the freedom to be reflective, and honest, and totally yourselves. I’ve always said that I don’t really know what I think until I hear myself say it. I realize now that applies to writing, too. I’ve learned a lot. About mothering, and about myself. At 62. I guess it’s good to realize I’m still learning.
My name is momalomsmom – or Gail or Sweetie or gg or The Geege. But mostly, it’s just Mom.
Momalom’s Mom also wrote a post for Mother’s Day, 2009, entitled Tired No More. Please take a read.
She will be moderating your comments today, so send out the love. And the words of wisdom. The reflections, the stories and the truths. We relish in it all.
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I have tears running down my face.
Yes, we DO know each other. Isn’t that extraordinary? It amazes me every day.
And what a blessing a mother is, and motherhood, and the ways that that relationship echoes throughout our lives. Thank you for all the ways you no doubt influenced your peerless daughters, whose words mean so much to me!
So, let’s see if I do this right – the Newbie Blog Momster – Bear with me if I flub it…..
My daughters are peerless, aren’t they? They amaze me every day, just as all of you out there amaze me. I am sooooo glad that I’m a woman, and not a man. Poor old men. They don’t know what they’re missing – this sisterhood, this ability to connect with ourselves and with each other. Vive les femmes!
And vive les meres! How thin and boring would my life have been had I not been a mom!
Now let’s see if I can actually get this posted to the right places…..
ooooooo Teeesh….. I love eeet when you speeeeeek french…..
New Hub and I just got back from Paris. Where I only spoke English. Or mumbled a few stock phrases. The only place I will actually try to speak French is in the US. Ridiculous, n’est-ce ps? Le grande chickenshit.
Mais, tu etes une merveilleuse fille, vraiment.
And that’s the extent of it for tonight.
Rats. Didn’t make it to your email, Lindsey. Trying again…..
You beat me to the punch with the commenting FIRST thing, didn’t you? It must be because a) I’m long-winded and don’t know when to cut a comment short and b) I had to stop and start that comment about 12 times in between child wrangling over here. Yes, yes I DO have six kids under one roof right now and I’m just not sure how mom’s of six do it. Of course, I’m banking on the fact that they don’t have all six under the age of 7. I think that would help the situation immensely. Not that it’s bad, mind you. It’s actually going along swimmingly. And yes, I love to use the word “swimmingly” and yes, I’m totally proving my point of being long-winded aren’t I?
Since you’re my mom – and I’m your daughter – I wanted to respond FIRST here.
I love you, Mom. Unconditionally and forever. And it shouldn’t be assumed because you’re my mother. And it should never go unsaid.
We all adore your nickname. Especially Geege-arondack, of course. But we adore the woman behind the nickname so much more. And I couldn’t be happier to have you here with us at Momalom. To be enmeshed with all the life, truth and inspiration that we have found here.
J’adore.
Dear Shortcake, Little Bingo, Sally, Shaggy….you DO have a lot of nicknames. Must be your general lovability. Or the fact that you were the third one down, and in the heat of the moment I couldn’t always remember your name. Not!
Thanks for scooping me up, encouraging me to do this, including me in this most wonderful part of you lives. You have given me the most precious gift possible – your own, true selves. No Christmas presents necessary this year!
And with the mention of Christmas…I’m crying.
Love,
Poopsy
(remember how Dad used to call me that? I hated it!)
Ooooo….forgot all about Poopsy. But how about Shaggeriffic?
Little Bingo? that is by far the *BEST* nickname in the History of Nicknames Since Forever.
Yup, and she still uses it to this day. Not sure where it came from but SO Cute.
What a nice surprise. “Tired, No More” is one of my favorite blog posts of all time, and it is great to read more beautiful words from Momalom’s Mom. I agree that sometimes you don’t know how you feel until you write it out. Many times I’ll start writing, thinking my stream of thought is flowing in one direction, and over the rocks it goes, radically changing direction. What I enjoy most about blogging is making a connection with other women who are brave enough to share their stories as mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and especially grandmothers. (ps – I love the great photo!)
Yeah, but what’s with the foofy bangs? I NEVER like my own pictures. But why are we women so hypercritical of ourselves? There’s an idea to file away for a later post. Why does the New Hubby stand in front of the full length mirror and admire his pecs, while I see only my muffin top and saggy knees? Later on that.
But Laura, I am so honored that you remember my first post. Writing has always been an avocation, but I’ve never felt 100% sure of myself. Again with the hyper-critical stuff….But the blogging community is so positive and welcoming, I have never felt judged or incapable. Maybe that’s because, if you like my post, you’ll write. And if you don’t, you won’t, and I’ll never have to know or deal with you. Good way to pick your friends.
And how’s that for stream of thought. My true talent.
I am reading later in the morning than I normally do, having already pushed one person out the door on a long run and having gone to church and about to push two more out the door to late mass. My children are looking at me funny as the tears stream down my cheeks.
It is wonderful to hear from Momalomsmom. I now know definitively where the girls get their writing skills from. I am going to go off to read
“Tired, No More” as soon as I dry these tears as I cry and laugh at everything these days.
Yes, blogging definitely makes me emotional. You guys cut close to the bone, that’s for sure.
GG, Geege, Geege-arondack, Momalom’s Mom…whatever moniker you choose, you have done an outstanding job raising two such accomplished, articulate, empathetic women. And you are quite a wordsmith yourself–I can see how you raised two writers.
There’s so much love and respect between daughters and mom on this site; I love popping in every day and baring my soul here (and reading the challenges others are grappling with). I feel very lucky to have found this Wolf Pack–we’re a motley crew, but we’re gentle and generous with each others’ quirks.
It feels a little less lonely out there with this corner to come to.
Oh, and as for nicknames, I never had one, either.
But my girls have tons! Miss D.: Daffy, Toot, Pickles, LaLa, Miss Sparkles, Miss Firecracker.
Miss M.: Googly Bear, Googles, Mirabelle, Bella, Boo.
Guess I’m making up for what I didn’t have, eh?
Thanks Kitch, Miss Kitch, Kitschy….
It is a cozy corner, and I love to rest my bones here. It’s my reward for mothering for 37 years (sorry, Jen, if I let that cat out of the bag). To have one’s children grow into people you actually like, respect, enjoy, and are friends with is the greatest gift of all. As you can see, I’m into this gift thing. I have a friend who has just received a devastating medical diagnosis, but her response is, “My life is a gift and I’m going to live it as such”. She never got to have the children that she so hoped for, but she has been the best, most kickass teacher on the face of this earth. God Bless you Annie. And all of you lovely ladies, too. Life is short. Love ‘em while you got ‘em, cause soon they’ll be flying out the door. (Sorry. Feeling teary. There’s that emotional thing again.)
you call your daughter Pickle? me too! sometimes, ok lots of the time, it’s Miss Pickles.
Before I became a nurse I worked as a Nursing Assistant. And I loved it; I can recall my favorite, Doris. She was dubbed “GG” by her grandchildren, too! I loved that woman like my own grandma, and she put all of the required spunk into being called “GG”. :)
I love that this corner of the internet values family so very much. I feel it’s a lost priority in today’s America. While I’m only 22 (for only two more months!) and not raising a family (yet!) I love reading about all of the trials and triumphs being a parent provides.
Thanks for speaking with us, Momalomsmom! :)
You are so welcome! How great that you’re reading this blog, and preparing for your own journey into motherhood. It speaks to the sisterhood I was talking about – that we women have something special going for us.
I love my friends to pieces, but my family is my touchstone. Children are embedded in each phase of my life. As the older sister (Sister Mother – aha – a nickname!), as a babysitter and camp counselor, as a mother of 3, as a teacher, and now, as a grandmother. Such a rich and lucky life I am having.
And, there must be something about the name GG. I’ve met two other grandmothers with the same name – and liked them both. A lot.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Momalomsmom. I told Sarah earlier this week how lucky I think she and Jen are to have a mother who just gets them. I have one of those too and knowing her and getting to know you here inspires me everyday to be that kind of mother for my two sons.
I love what you have to say about the community Jen and Sarah have brought together here. Not only do I feel like I’ve started getting to know so many wonderful women and mothers, I’ve also started to get to know *myself* that much more through the process of writing. Relatively new to blogging, I found the Momalom community at the perfect time and for that I will always be grateful.
Thank you for your words and for shepherding these wonderful women into glorious adulthood.
They are great, aren’t they? We’ve weathered some storms and are sure to weather others, but the love and respect we have for each other will surely help us through anything that comes along. Of course, their father had a lot to do with the way they turned out, too. He was an extraordinary man. So I can’t and don’t take all the credit here. And, I think, they’ve helped each other “become”, just as the blogging community helps itself, each member learning from and building on every other member. Whoa – a huge geometric progression! If we all keep this up, imagine how strong we could be. And here’s my current fantasy….imagine what it would be like to gather all of us in a room – with some good food and drink – and no kids – or maybe the kids could come later. It would be a rout. And so much fun.
Yes, Geege. Momalom’s Night Out! I see it clearly. And IT.IS.FUN.
I’ll host. Round ‘em up. Maybe they’d like to bring their moms. : ) How a bout a summer reunion? OK, there’s no “re” because you haven’t met face to face yet. So how about a Union? Perfect!
How sweet! My mom reads my blog and just figured out how to comment! She only has one grandchild, my son, and she goes by Oma. We wanted something random so my husband started reading off lists in other languages and Oma stuck!
You are definitely lucky, these two ladies have opened a nice community here. I will be reading long after the five for ten!!
Amanda, my mother-in-law is also Oma to our boys, after a long period of rejecting any and all typical Grandma names. It’s nice to hear of another random Oma outside of Germany!
The kids in my kindergarten classes called their grandparents all sorts of weird names. My favorites were a grandfather who was called “Old Goat” – I kid you not – and a 250 pound grandma named Tiny. And then there’s Dumpy and Fa, and Mishka and Mooshka.
I’m certain your mom is enthralled with your son and would gladly be called anything, although Oma is a good one!
Old Goat may be the best grandfather name I have ever heard. Quite possibly.
And he was a bit goatish, and sported a natty goatee. And wore what possibly could have been a smoking jacket to Grandparents’ Day. Maroon velvet. Even nattier.
I think his wife named him.
Hello GG, Momalomsmom!
I, too, and lucky to have my mom nearby, ready and willing to be the grandmother of all grandmothers to my kids. And my sister’s kid. So I know your value, I really do. Great photo with your girls, too!
Thanks Amy. I do feel so lucky to have the girls close – although sometimes I’d like them even closer. close enough to make a day trip a bit easier. And kudos to your mom. Maybe she’d like to weigh in? Hmmmm…maybe I need to start a grandmothering blog? Nah….the demands of retirement are too grueling. : )
Thanks for posting for your girlies! I don’t have my mom or mother-in-law close by, so it’s with jealousy that I read ;)
The only nickname I ever had was one I gave myself–apparently I couldn’t pronounce my own name right as a wee lass (Jennifer) and told people my name was “Fer-fer”. It stuck for many years, but only among close relatives. I’m sure I would’ve punched anyone else who tried to call me that !
For awhile, I was calling Jamis “Jamo”. I thought it was cute, and several other people started calling him the same. But, at 5, he put the brakes on that, and in no uncertain terms informed me that his name was Jamis, not Jamo. This was right around the same time he tried out “Grandma” on me. I got the point.
No thanks needed re posting for the girls, actually. I’ve loved it!
WELL!! I checked in the wee hours of the a.m. and found the place deserted and thought GOOD – Sarah is sleeping and all is well … and I m pleasantly surprised to see a gathering here – and hellooooo Momalomsmom, pitchng in (natch) even here in land ‘o good ‘n plenty ‘o things to say (without the black and pink candies to accompany us).
SARAH if you aren’t soaking something in a tub somewhere (or sipping a toddy) – shame on you! You had a hard day yesterday!
And Gail – you must be wonderful to have launched such lovely girls (and we can only assume your son is just as wonderful). So, I won’t tell about your multiplication challenges, but it seems to me that you took care of the most important multiplication of all – three lovely kids, and a family tree that is growing strong, kindly, and with great humor as well.
(So tell me… just curious… when it comes to men – which is it – “funny” or “money”?)
Alas, Wolfie. No soaking yet. Current Update: 2 kids asleep in cribs. 2 kids asleep on a couch beside 2 kids watching Charlotte’s Web.
The flu-ly husband is taking his prescribed medications and feeling much better. He just sauntered to his office and told me to get him when the hooligans emerge from the basement. Bless him, we have the truest of partnerships and I am not, by any stretch, muscling through this weekend alone.
The front lawn is nearly free of leaves. There are muddy shoes in the hallway. Bellies are filled and there are still cookies remaining. Laundry is stacked up in every corner of the first floor, with more in the washing machine. The dishes have been cleared and cleaned. My feet are up. And I am relishing my mom’s post and all of these wonderful comments.
Now I have to do some catching up with reading the blogs of all my fine commenters. Yay! Nothing better than that today.
Oh Wolfie, I admit to being stumped. It’s been a looong (but really fun) day of reading and commenting, and I’m missing your reference. Funny or money? Do you mean which would I choose? A funny man, or one with money? Geez. I just married for the second time in September (now that was a fabulous family occasion!) and he isn’t that funny or that loaded with money. But he does make me laugh, and he does take me on wonderful trips, so I guess that’s part of the equation. He’s also kind, and a good friend, and loving, and thoughtful in his own bachelor-type way. A new friend queried me in September about my motivation for remarrying – inferring that I was out of my mind, I think. But really, life is short, and I just decided to grab at this brass ring while I was still whirling around. And that’s enough of the mixed metaphors for tonight.
As for the family tree, you don’t know the half of it. I”ve been working on my mother’s tree (yes, the true matriarch is still alive and kicking) for the last 2 years, and have taken us back to kings and queens, an Indian princess or two, and William the Conqueror. Just name dropping a bit, to let you know how very important Jen and Sarah and I are. : )
And I just talked with Sarah, and she sounds sane. The leaves are raked on their humongous front yard, everyone took a nap, no one had to go to the ER (parents included), and general content reigns. Congratulations Sally. You are a wonderful person for doing this for your sister. I know she appreciates it, and so do I. And having the cousins together for the weekend – now that’s special.
Great family tree, sounds like! (More leaves to be raked up at Sarah’s?) Um… could you guys send someone over HERE now? (Ten teens in my little livingroom – EEEE-ha!!!)
The funny-money reference wasn’t about “funny money” – it was a reference to writing about a sense of humor in our kids, where it comes from, and even whether or not what you go for (in a person) is funny over money … but HONEY – you sound sunny! Second marriage – cool! (So I might get another date again someday???????? I’ve got the shoes, and the hat…) Please. A woman needs hope, ya know? Especially in a testosterone household!
My reply is circling in cyberspace somewhere.
In a nutshell, I’m good at jumping off cliffs. Sometimes I splatter, but usually it’s OK, and this new marriage is more than that. A very good thing for both of us. But it wouldn’t have happened without a little bravery and some rule breaking. And a damn good counselor.
I read Tired No More awhile ago, when I was just beginning to have time to step back and look at the state I was in. Thank you so much, Geege, because I really needed to read what you wrote. (I read it and was touched. I was too damn tired to form a coherent comment.) Sometimes life with these hooligans is just so overwhelming and I think to myself, ‘Hello, people? I’m not waving, I’m drowning.’ I needed to hear that it gets easier. Ok, so maybe it doesn’t happen for 20 years, but that’s okay. As long as I know it does eventually happen. I needed to be reminded to enjoy the ride, even if the enjoyment comes in ten 2-minute installments of un-crazy in an 18-hour span.
And I am wowed by the Dalai Lama. Hollywood stars? I could take em or leave em. Seeing the Dalai Lama would leave me star-struck.
OK, first of all, I’ve been dying to ask you. Where did your pen name come from? Because my most favorite children’s book, the one I read every year to my second and third graders, was Stone
Fox by John Gardner. Is that where you got it?
Secondly, oh yes, it does get easier. It’s hard when they’re little. But it’s also such an irreproducible time. Those little, trusting souls who depend on you for everything. The sweetness of their bodies and their new little souls. And sure you should enjoy them, but the truth is that some days just suck, and it’s all you can do to make it through. But that’s OK.
I vividly remember one awful day when I was stretched to the limit, just exploding and throwing an entire basket of clean clothes down the stairs while Jen and Justin scurried to their rooms for cover. I have rued that day forever. It sticks in my memory lie a burr. But why do I remember that time so very well, when the myriad of good times sort of blur together? Bad days happen. Bad mornings, bad hours, bad minutes. It’s so easy to forgive your kids, but try to forgive yourself, too. It’s OK.
Your kids will grow up and make you laugh and cry and feel proud and sad – it’s all a part of it. If you’re very lucky, they will start a blog and invite you to join and you will know that it’s really OK.
I remember the laundry down the stairs incident. I remember that the door at the bottom of the stairs was closed and it hit the door with a bash and a bang. And I remember that once you calmed down – took a few deep breaths, I’m sure – you trotted down the stairs, stepped over the basket and the spilled clothes, and picked it all up. And we all got over it. And the day resumed as usual. And you are the only one of us who remembers it negatively.
But now that I am a mother, I completely understand. In every way.
But one of the lessons I have learned in getting closer and closer to you, Mom, since becoming a mother is that enough if we sometimes fall apart, it does not have to define us. Our relationship with our kids. And we are not bad mothers for it. Our kids move on much faster than we do, and I can understand that better because of all the conversations that we have, and all the thoughts and feelings that you unfold before me like gifts. Faults, flaws, trial and error. There is more to motherhood than good days and bays. It is the overall picture that forms in the mind of your children. And in their hearts.
My heart is full. Of warmth.
Oh Mother Guilt. Why do I remember the bad stuff in such detail, and the good stuff all gets lumped together? A parent wields such enormous power – I’m always reading some awful novel about an abusive or neglectful or otherwise hurtful parent – but we always have to remember how strong our children are. And how little it takes to make them truly happy. And the fact that they are who they are, I think, from the moment of conception, and it would take a catastrophic childhood to change that. (Think about how each of your children was so different from the day he was born.) A child bent towards happiness will be just that – happy Even if her mother throws the laundry down the stairs. And speaking of that, I guess that was a little trick I tried twice, because the time I’m remembering was in the condo in E.G. ???? Oh my.
Oh, I feel kind of awful that my nickname is not from this wonderful story about perseverance and sled dogs. It’s actually a line Jim Rockford (played by James Garner) on The Rockford Files says, “That girl’s a stone fox!” It refers to a woman who is not only a solid babe, but also a solid human being.
I was probably about 13 or so when my mom threw an entire tuna casserole down the stairs. I was giving her major attitude, and she snapped. Later on, I found out that her and my dad had just received news that my dad’s brother had passed away. He was very close to both of my parents. Like Sarah said, I don’t remember it with negativity or judgment, it just was. She was very upset at the world, and a tuna casserole paid the price. I never liked tuna casserole, anyway.
EXCELLENT news.
(Drunk posting challenge for December…)
Oh my. I love seeing where Sarah and Jen get their exquisite writing abilities from. And their humor and honesty… Okay, I do not want to trigger that age-old nature vs. nurture debate. But I do want to note just how much I enjoyed reading this post. It makes me dream a bit. That one day maybe my own mother (who is a fabulous writer) will grace my blog too. That would be a real treat.
I love this tribute to the power of names, given and concocted, and to the power of family. I love it all.
Aidan,
Just ask her. How can she say no? It’s such an honor.
And thanks for the complement re writing. I’ve always loved to write, and toyed with the idea of writing a kid’s book when I retired, but I’ve never had the gumption to follow through. Who knows? Maybe you all will provide the stimulus for that to happen. But probably not, because I’m pretty much loving my slackass retired life.
What a family you all have! I love the smiles in that picture– it looks you have bliss in your genes. I’m so glad you all share it with us here, too. :)
Momalomsmom, it sounds like you waited for a nickname that really spoke to who you are and who you want to be. And that, I would think, is better than summer camp. Nice.
Yep. Summer camp and kvetching, emoting preteens was not my finest moment. If I could wrest the family pictures from my own mom, the inimitable, matriarchal Nanny, I could probably find a picture of those pigtails for you. Most stellar. But sorry. You’ll just have to envision for yourself. Without the foofy bangs.
Wow, I love reading all the comments on here!
Momalom’s Mom: Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I know my mother had a difficult time with becoming “Grandma.” She insisted we call her “Nana.” (Which means we all referred to her as Grandma.) (Yep, we are nice like that.) However, when she became acquainted with her granddaughter (my husband and I had the first grandchild for both sides), all the walls crumbled. She loves to be a grandma. She loves being called Grandma.
Mothers deserve a very special reward, especially when they become grandmothers. How your children raise their children is a testament to your time, effort, and love.
Sarah, I am so glad you have such a wonderful husband! You rock!
Well, you’re right. It’s not about the name. Nickname, pen name, grandma name. The name is not the person. And I like to think that I”m a much, much better person than I was when I was 18 and looking for a nickname. And that whatever my precious grandkids call me is just fine. (But I still don’t like Grandma much).
And it has been (and is) such an incredible reward watching my children parent. And parent well. And to be lucky enough to be a part of my grandkids’ lives. My nine grandkids are my reward.
And, Sarah is a very, very lucky woman. Daniel is a gem. He rocks. But he’s still human – male human. But no one’s perfect. : )
I am proud to be a part of this community – it really does feel good to be 100% myself when in most other areas of my life I have to be something different than the real me. In my role of Mommy I’m on guard to be a constant role model (which forces me to do things that are sometimes uncomfortable or unnatural), at work I must maintain a professional air (not always ME), and in the real world it’s not always appropriate to say what I’m really thinking or feeling. I like that here (and elsewhere in this community of people who, simply put, GET me), I don’t feel like I have to be anyone other than me. For that, I thank you all!
I never had a nickname growing up either but Mommy is a pretty cool title. And my son, as oldest grandchild, has dubbed MY mother, “Geema” – it started with a speech impediment and has stuck even at 3 1/2. Thanks for a great post!!
Thank you Shana. Funny how the best names often are accidents. All of Sarah’s many names came out of some serendipitous, extravagant moment. And no, I don’t know where Little Bingo came from – the cosmos?
I’ve thought a bit more about my yearning for a nickname. My parents didn’t give me a name for months. I was just called “The Baby”. Finally the authorities closed in and demanded they sign the paper naming me, so they chose Gail. Oh my. Sorry anyone out there who carries my name and actually likes it, but I HATE it. Always have. One might think that all the waffling meant my parents weren’t too crazy about it either, although my mother swears they both loved it.
They say that you are what you eat. Are you also what you are named? What if I’d been the sister named Kathryn or Susan Emily? Would I have been more them and less me? What if I’d liked my name. Would I have been a happier teen? Large thoughts on a cloudy night. Too large. It’s time to pack it in for the Geege.
Thanks for a great day everyone!! The NH is back from his football game and I have to go cheer him up. No wait….they won for once. Hallelujah! Peace and good cheer in my house.
Oh – and about being yourself when you’re here. That’s why it’s been such a fun day. No pretenses. Absolutely none. And honesty up the yingyang. And no distances or postures or little white lies. It’s a brand new world and I’m trying to take it all in. To sleep, perchance to….sleep.
There is so much love going on here that I almost can’t bear it.
Just checked in one last time to make sure I didn’t miss anyone, and here you are Natalie. Yes, there was a lot of love going around today. Such a lovely day!
Aww thank you!
This is such a sweet idea! I’ll have to see if I can get my mom in on the mom blog action!
Yes! She’ll love it.
If I was as fast a writer as Sal and Jen, or had a partnership like they do to share the honors (and duties), I might start one myself. But oh, I am too chicken. And besides, you guys can stay up later that I do. I’m sliding into geriatric time. Up at 6, in bed by 9. Pathetic! Unless, of course, there’s a party. : )
Hi Momalom’s mom! Are you still out there? I know it’s late… I just kicked the last of my 25 guests out of my house and ran, no, SPRINTED upstairs to my computer to read today’s post. What a nice surprise that it’s written by the one and only…Momalom’s mom.
I recall so clearly in Junior High wanting a nickname SO badly. It seemed all the cool kids had one and for some reason, I just never was pegged with one. I think I asked my friends to start calling me Madison at one point though and came home that night telling my mom that it was my new nickname. Nothing like giving yourself a meaningless nickname! I also heard the story of my Aunt Phyllis coming home from 6th grade THRILLED to pieces that she had finally donned the nickname Sy-Phillis. So I guess sometimes it’s better NOT to have one.
I can’t even begin to express what this community has done for me. I have such a warm place to come to each and every day. An inspiring place. A welcoming place. A powerful place. I just love it. I have to admit however, it has NOT been good for my real life social life since I seem to be choosing curling up with my computer instead of going out with my friends or curling up with my husband. Oh well… now he knows how I’ve felt about the remote control all these years…
Sarah and Jen are so fortunate to have a mom who really seems to GET what they’re doing here. In this blog. As close as I am to my mom, she doesn’t get it. I’ve tried to explain but she doesn’t see why I care if anyone reads my blog. She doesn’t see why reading “strangers” blogs is of any interest to me. I’ve tried to compare it to things in her life, but really, there is no comparison for the relationships I’ve built in this community.
You done good Momalom! And I’m in for cocktails ANYTIME!
The cocktails are on me!! Come on over. Do you all know the particulars about everyone else – where you live, details of family, jobs? I guess I now have to start reading all the blogs. I may have to give up exercising. Toooo bad. My muffin top can just keep expanding while my psyche does the same.
I know what you mean about choosing to curl up with your computer. The NH is trying hard to understand, but doesn’t really. Fortunately, the Giants played (and won) today, so he’s copacetic tonight. Sitting across the room in a gin-induced-post-game haze listening to Bare Naked Ladies. My music man.
Maybe if you got your mom to post it would help her to understand. She wouldn’t believe how fun it is. Then again, most of my friends think I’m nutsy. Why would I want to ‘waste” my time writing to people I don’t even know and sharing “intimate details”. Too bad for them. And waddya wanna know? No secrets here.
Wow, I wish that my mom and I had the connection that the Momalom girls have. So beautiful and inspiring.
Also wanted to share that my mom is Mah-moo to the grandkids after being called “not mama” for several years. The first grandchild tried to call her Mama and she had to keep correcting him. It was the correction that stuck. :)
We haven’t always, you know. The love was always there, but there was a time when each of my children needed to separate from their parents, and try their wings in private. Oh my, I am tired. Bad sentence. But you know what I mean. I did it, too. Married early, moved away with new, handsome husband, started a new life and rarely called home. Of course, that all changed when I had Jen. Then I was on the phone every day, asking questions, telling tales. Being a daughter again. That was great.
Unfortunately, the relationship I have with my mom will never be what I am lucky enough to share with my girls. She is a victorian, stiff-upper lip type lady, not prone to sharing her feelings, or even think too much about them. I don’t think. She’s never been one for talking about her feelings much. On the rare occasion she does, she often cries, so we both kind of shy away from all things introspective. It’s disappointing, because I do like to plumb around in the depths. But then, she’s 84. What do I want? Most days I’m just grateful she’s still around. I love her to pieces.
Hi Momalom’s Mom!
OMG! Your girls are the spitting image of you! And I am bad at telling which parent children look like,… Seriously, I never see the resemblances!
I so wish my mom , or even the Hubbs would join in on blogging, even if it’s to make a special guest appearance. Any advice on how to get them to bite?
Yes, they do look like me. But they also look like their dad. It’s an interesting mix.
Maybe they need a challenge like 5 for 10….a little incentive. Maybe reading a bit of what’s been going on today would help your mom feel comfortable to be a guest blogger. Give her an assignment. Give her a direction. Give her an idea. Maybe you write part, then she writes part. Or a call and response blog – kind of like the free-for-all im chats my daughters and I have. Or maybe chocolate?
MY MOM. Momalom’s Mom. Is seriously filled with all kinds of awesome. I mean, really!
Thanks for today Mom. I love you.
Nine, grandkids–lucky you! I have four kids, and my husband thinks we’ll end up with between 12 and 16 grandkids. He thinks we should tell the kids that whoever gives us the most grandkids inherits the house.
It’s good to see guests posts from the woman with the ultimate perspective.
Yes, lucky me. And lucky you – a husband who’s looking forward to a passel of grands.
As for the ultimate perspective, I think I’ll give that honor to my own mom. Mother of 6, grandmother of 17 (depending on how you count), great-grandmother of 15 (again, the counting thing). She’s a wise old bird, my mom, sitting in her catbird seat, and watching all of us scurry around like mad. Every once in awhile, she’ll drop a pearl of wisdom on you, and shock you back into reality. Thanks Mom!
Hi all–I’m late to check in because of our exciting trip to Boston. I missed everyone! The joke was on me–I should have headed over to Sarah’s if I wanted a quiet weekend. My kid doesn’t scream but apparently every other child in Boston does and I spent five hours with them at the Science Museum and another two at the Children’s Museum, without my earplugs.
What a lovely post from Momalom’s mom! I know that as a family you’ve come though both hard and sweet times, but they way you’ve landed together is nothing short of grace.
My mom wasn’t ready to be Grandma either so we call her Bobbi. Her name is Barbara and that’s the name her aunt, my Small’s namesake, called her as a girl. I think it’s a nice circle through the generations.
ps: Day eight! How can it be day eight already? That means it’s almost over! I am going to have momalom withdrawl.
I’ve been to both museums – on a field trip with third graders and their parents. Now there’s a hair-raising experience. But fun. I know what you mean about the noise level, though. Why do those girls have to squeal so much? And why do the boys have to run, slide, jump, and otherwise throw their bodies all over the place in total disregard for their own safety, and that of everyone else around them? sheesh.
And yes, we have arrived in a good place through some kind of crazy luck, determination and hard work, and abiding grace. And the love that has bound us always. Problems will always arise. Nothing will ever be perfect. I will always worry. But I know in my heart of hearts, that my kids and grandkids are and will be OK. And there’s the historical perspective, for what it’s worth.
And yes, day eight and momalom withdrawal. But fortunately, Sarah and Jen have a new idea brewing. : )
Geege-a-licious (my new nickname for you, and YES, I am allowed to give you one, as a former scarred-child-without-a-nickname):
I hated my name as a kid also. Know why? There was this big fat paste-eating kid in my kindergarten named Dana. I was outraged! It’s bad enough to have a name that a BOY can have, but a pudgy paste-eater? Horrors! I came home that day and told my mom I wanted to be called (and I’m not foolin’) “Sarah.” I made my mom call me “Sarah” for several months and then I got over it. Still, guess what Miss D.’s middle name is?
As for Miss D., she remained nameless for 3 days. Hubs and I were at a stalemate over the name. Finally, the cranky wench from Social Security demanded that we name her, so we did. How crazy that you were “the baby” for so long!!!
ps: I am neutral on Gail. But I prefer Geege-a-licious.
I actually think Geege-a-licious has surfaced a time or two on the lips of one of my more inventive family members! It’s certainly better than Gail. At least it has some personality.
And, would you believe there was a boy named Gale in my 1st grade class!! And he was a total dweeb. His mother dressed him in a shirt and tie every day, the poor fellow, and made him the smelliest lunches. Maybe that was the beginning of my nickname obsession.
And lastly, when I was pregnant for the first time, my husband and I, after prolonged and sometimes heated discussion, chose Jennifer Erin as a girl’s name – because, of course, we didn’t know if it was a girl or a boy. But after her delivery, I was asked by the nurse what we would be naming our new baby girl, and when I told her our choice, she gurgled, “Oooooo. I just love that name. There are three other Jennifers in the nursery.” You have to remember that was just about the time Love Story came out – Ali McGraw as Jennifer, dying a poignant death with a cute Ryan O’Neal mooning and moaning around her. Which was NOT why we had chosen the name. Well, back to the drawing board. What other name could we agree on? Our next choice was Melanie Megan, which Jen shudders at now, and my mother put the kibosh on then. After three grueling days of indecision, and the “wanky wench from SS” arriving every day with pen in hand, we finally returned to Jennifer. Because we both liked it. And I still do. How about you, Jen?
Hoping Jen had a GREAT time, and Sarah – today will seem like a vacation in comparison!! (Bet you managed at least one photo of all of you, hmm?)
Can you have that toddy today?
JEN – A nice little getaway, despite the car drama?
Hello ALL!
I still am getting caught up. But it’s wonderful to see you all here. Thank you, Mom, for VOLUNTEERING (did you all know this?) to fill in for us today. And thank you, readers, for welcoming Geege to the fold.
I had a wonderful weekend—we all did, I think—and now there’s a little aftermath to attend to (messy house, dead car, work schedules, etc.) Oh, and the blogging. Back to that, too!
momalom’s mom,
This was just plain fantastic. Are you an entire family of writers over there or what? Wow, I love it. I love your daughters too, even though I’ve never even met them. They are absolutely amazing women, and I’m guessing you had something to do with that. So I kinda wanna say thank you. Is that weird?
Thank you.
Not weird at all, but no thanks necessary. I got/get much more than I gave/give. I’m only one, and there are three of them and 9 (9!) grandkids. My kids made my life. Simple as that. And the grandkids? Icing on the cake. And my cake is HUGE. And delicious. (Can you tell I’m on a pre-Thanksgiving diet?)