3 Today, 4 Tomorrow

He’s 3 today, but when he wakes up tomorrow, he will be 4.

Come tomorrow, I would also have been a mother for 4 years. 4 years might seem like a decent amount of time to be at a job, but at this one, I’m still learning. 

Today was a busy one for me as I slowly descended into panic mode about Noey’s birthday celebrations. Noey will be celebrating his birthday in school tomorrow and today I was finalising the goody bags, making jelly and planning the last steps involved in putting his cake together. Yes, this year I decided to try my hand at baking his cake – at least one – myself and was getting real antsy about getting it done. I don’t even want to think about the activities and events scheduled for Saturday yet.

“I’m busy,” I told Noey as he bugged me yet again to play. I wanted to get things done and perfect for him tomorrow. That’s because I love him, isn’t it? But as I sat down to finish what needed to be done, that little voice inside told me that what was more important to him today was that I played with him. So I put down the paper I was cutting and went to meet him and Nomi at the playground.

And we played. Like really played. It wasn’t just me sitting down watching the children like it is some days. Today we ran races and played catching and horsed around for a good two hours.

At the end of the day, I realised that that was what he needed from his Mama today. What I didn’t realise was that that was what I needed too.

Thank you Noey, for teaching me everyday just what it means to be your Mama. Happy birthday, my nearly-4-year-old son!