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Worth Every Minute: For many mothers, the finest gift is that smile, that yawn, that relentless curiosity
Journal Photo by Jennifer Rotenizer
Courtney Ladika and her son, Elias, 2, share a pear at Lockland Park. "When he smiles at me," she says, "he makes me very happy."
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Published: May 11, 2008
‘‘An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.''
Spanish proverb
With Mother's Day in mind, I asked some mothers three questions. What do you especially like about being a mother? What is your favorite part of the day? What would you consider an ideal Mother's Day present?
Not one mentioned a gift that would require wrapping paper. They mentioned breakfast in bed. A picnic with the family. Grown-up children coming home for the day. Time with the kids and someone else dealing with such everyday responsibilities as making meals and washing dishes. Having the house to herself. Those were the sorts of things that came up.
As the women thought about their favorite parts of being a mother, some really beautiful smiles crossed their faces.
"I like everything about it," said Heather Keaton, who was at the park with her 3-year-old son, Vladimir. "It's just amazing being a mom. I have another on the way in July. I like it that much…. Obviously, there are some trying times but the good times outweigh those by far."
Marilyn Parker likes the sense of aliveness that the spontaneity and vibrancy of her four children -- Nicholas, 25, Anderson, 21, Grace, 19, Seth, 17 -- have given her over the years.
"They are always so open," she said.
When everyone was younger, her favorite part of the day was reading books to them.
Courtney Ladika's son, Elias, is 2, so he will probably need some help from his father, James, to put together the breakfast in bed that would be his mother's first choice for a Mother's Day present. Day-to-day, though, he brings her lots of joy all by himself.
"When he smiles at me, it makes me very happy," she said.
"I like going to the park with him and seeing how he plays and learns."
And now that he is learning how to talk, she looks forward to hearing whatever new combination of sounds comes out of his mouth.
Marian Maldjian has three children -- Andre, Ani, Joseph -- between the ages of 11 weeks and 3½, so it will come as no surprise that her favorite time of the day is bedtime.
"It's exhausting," she said. "They are really close in age. It just never stops."
Not that she's complaining. She loves being a mother.
"It gives your life more meaning that anything else could," Maldjian said. "It's the greatest joy I have ever experienced."
Her husband, Joe, was right there so she hastened to add that he, too, has brought considerable joy into her life.
Katie Moosburger likes how fresh the world becomes in the company of her 4-year-old daughter, Emili, and 1-year-old son, Henry. When Henry gets excited about a squirrel running up a tree, so does she.
"Everything becomes a new experience every day," she said. Here's what she wants for Mother's Day: "A day that I could just play and relax without worrying about the other responsibilities that come with being a mom."
Her husband, Charlie, is good about such things so there is an excellent chance that she will get just that.
Jan Mabe's daughter, Erin Hullette, is off on her own now. What Mabe particularly appreciates about her daughter is how much love and respect she showed growing up.
"She was just the perfect kid," Mabe said. "Nobody believes that."
Her favorite part of the day was the morning when they would just sit and chat.
Brandy King especially likes the time of day when her 5-month-old son, Elijah, is just waking up.
"He smiles and yawns a couple of times," she said.
Dana Slawter's son, Preston, is 14. These days, Slawter particularly enjoys watching various characteristics emerge that she can trace to someone else. Oh, that's just like his dad. Oh, that's just like his uncle. Oh, that's just like her.
If Preston wants to give her the perfect Mother's Day gift, he has a choice of two distinct paths to take. He could make her "Queen for a Day" with breakfast in bed or perhaps a special dinner. Or he could grab his dad, and they could head off somewhere on their own for a few hours.
Just the thought of having the house all to herself made Slawter smile.
But, really, either one would be fine.
■ Kim Underwood can be reached at 727-7389 or at kunderwood@wsjournal.com
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