This past weekend was Mothers Day - a day filled with traditions, brunches, cards and flowers. As we celebrated Erica in our home this year we added a new element of fun to the mix which helped break the routine of breakfast, cards, gifts and celebrating. What we added was some unpredictability. How, you might ask? Well, hold on a moment.

You see Erica does such an amazing job of running our household that she deserves a celebration. She cares for all of us so well that she warrants creativity. The structure and routines that she creates keeps us all moving efficiently as a family. Therefore, we should have no reason not be as creative as can be when it comes to celebrating all that we are thankful for in her. 

The drawback to all of this is that sometimes I can fall into a “boring guy” camp when it comes to over-the-top ideas to celebrate the ones I love. But this year I have a new arrow in my quiver,  secret weapon, a new partner in crime… A three-year-old who has an imagination! 

A couple of weeks ago I pulled my new accomplice aside and let her know that Mother’s Day was coming and that we needed to do something special for mommy. She enthusiastically engaged in the project and was all-in. With two weeks countdown to the big day, the first box I had to check was to determine a gift. 

“Hey, Nicole, what do you think we should get Mommy for Mother’s Day?” Unleash a question like that to a three-year-old and you better be ready for any kind of answer. I was ready. Her reply? She thought that we should get mommy a new scarf. You know, the fashionable kind of scarf that is lightweight and comes in as many colors as Joseph’s dreamcoat. Wow, what a thoughtful idea!! I was surprised. 

Erica loves scarves and she has quite the collection. How heart-warming that a three-year-old can identify Erica’s preferences and also recall them in time to think of a great gift to give her mom! Settled. I would go shopping for a beautiful new scarf for Erica. But wait, there was another idea to go along with a scarf - Mommy’s very own Everest. Everest is a Paw Patrol character who is often assigned to Erica when we play Paw Patrol as a family. What a selfish, I mean, thoughtful idea. 

WIth the gifts settled we needed to move onto Erica’s Mother’s Day meal. I asked Nicole what she thought Mommy would like to eat. Her answer; Rice Krispy Treats. Now, before you think that Nicole is being selfish, allow me to let you in on a little context. When we thought Jonah had a dairy allergy we were forced to use some fake ingredients in our kitchen. One of those fake ingredients was vegan butter. A while back we made Rice Krispy Treats with vegan butter. May I suggest that you do not try that. 

Nicole remembered the vegan butter treats and how we did not love them as a family. Maybe Nicole was being self-serving in asking for Rice Krispy Treats (with real butter) or maybe she really wanted Mommy to enjoy the real thing. I’m choosing to believe the best…

After we completed our conversation about Mother’s Day, her gift and her food, I informed Nicole that we would keep this a secret so that Mommy would be surprised on Mother’s day. She agreed. And, she actually did a great job at it.

A few days before Mother’s day I brought home a scarf (which I left in my car) a box of Rice Krispys and a bag of marshmallows. I let Nicole “hide” them in her room so she would feel like she was a part of the surprise. While in her room I asked her to tell me all of the things she loved about mommy so that we could write it in a card for her. She did. 

At the end of our time we recapped our Mother’s day surprise; a scarf, Rice Krispy Treats, a card and maybe an Everest. 

Well, turns out it was all too much excitement for an excited three-year-old to keep contained. She came out of her room and told mommy that we were planning a surprise for her, that we got her a scarf, would be making Rice Krispy Treats for her and that we got her a card. 

While the surprise was no longer the day and the planning for the day was an adventure. For the first time ever we got to incorporate a three-year-old perspective into Mother’s Day and got a little glimpse of the fruit of our last three year’s labor - a little girl who loves her mommy and wants to get the best gifts for her, make her the best food and give her the best experiences. 

Kind of sounds like what Mommy does for us…

If you’re wondering, after visits to three different Target’s I could not find an Everest. And, if you’re also wondering here are the things that Nicole told me she loved about mommy - straight from her mouth with no edits:

Her smile

Her heart

Her presents

Her Big Smile

Her hugging

That she washer her undies for her

That she gives her a bath

That she lets her watch a show while mommy showers

The brother