The 2010 Mother of the Year Award will *not* being going to me this year, and my almost 6 year old keeps reminding me of this fact. Her 6th birthday is on Monday, and she is SUPER excited. There seems to be so much more anticipation for six than past birthdays. Anyway, I leave for a work conference on Saturday and don't return until Wednesday. Yes, I am missing my daughter's 6th birthday. It gets worse. The conference is in Orlando. At Disney World. See, no award for me. I realize that this isn't the best planning in life, but this conference is important to me, and I have mandatory meetings for the national committees on which I serve. She gets to spend the entire time I'm gone at Grandma and Papa's house, we are having these amazing disney decorated cookies delivered to the school, she will have a family birthday party on her real birthday with everyone except her mother, I'm getting her a bigger than usual present, we are having a birthday blowout at her gymnasitcs gym with all her friends, but I still feel guilty. I know she will be fine and will love how it turns it to being a birthday week rather than day, but right now she is doing a good job of making me feel guilty.
I grew up with a mom that spent lots of time telling me that she wasn't concerned with winning mother of the year, after I had spent lots of time being upset with her about something. Not getting to go somewhere, do what my friends did, or her excessive (at least I thought so then) punishments. She never seemed concerned about making me the world's happiest kid, just with making sure I was raised with good values, strong convictions, and behaved as expected. Pretty smart lady. I'm sure K will find many more reasons to be upset with me in the future, but hopefully they don't include missing birthdays or leaving your kids behind to party with Mickey.
Take your laptop with you and skype from the hotel. We use skype a lot to keep in touch with grandparents and my sister. There is just something about being able to "see" each other that makes them seem less far away. That way you can see her open presents or blow out the candles or whatever. If nothing else she can tell you face to face all about it. For my kids showing their grandparents something on the computuer is soo much better than over the phone.
ReplyDelete