Respect Yo Motha'..... Or Your Baby Mama

So Mother's Day was this past weekend and I'm a Mom. GO ME!!!! I was told Happy Mother's Day by so many. Not just in slightly annoying group texts either, but personal messages and phone calls just to me from people I like having in my life. I was also well loved by my littles.

That was awesome.

I was able to spend the day with my Mom, Kids, and Sister as well.

That was awesome.

However for some reason the one person I wanted to hear from the most, said nothing. I'm actually really shocked that not hearing from my ex (but not ex yet) husband bothered me the way it did. Most of the time I don't want to hear from him, so maybe he knew that and was granting my wish? On second thought, probably not.

Can't lie....That wasn't all that awesome.

I don't really know why my feelings were hurt by his failure to say 3 simple words to the mother of his kids, but they were. Since we aren't exactly the best of friends these days I would've settled for a "I really wish you'd go kick rocks and I want to stomp on your hobbit feet with my cleats, but hey, Happy Mother's Day. Thanks for giving me our girls." Shoot maybe he was super busy with all his other commitments today and didn't have time? Which could be true, but we face-timed with our girls Sunday night and there wasn't even the SLIGHTEST mention, half smile, or nod tossed my way on this day set aside for us Moms. I know how thoughtful you can be, I used to be your wife. I don't expect any of that grade A thoughtfulness now, seeing we aren't a couple any longer. Just a simple thanks. I mean, it was me that pushed those precious girls out of my hoo-ha last time I checked. Last year I saw the nice things you did for the new person in your life and I'm sure it was a huge hit. You know what? That's great, keep being thoughtful. Don't worry, I did keep the card you had the kids write me on scrap paper. 

Throw me a friggin bone here dude.

I may not like you all that much but I wouldn't be able to celebrate this day as a parent, nor would you on yours, if we weren't in this together as a Mother and Father. I'm not asking you to dig back into your mind to happier times and get all sappy, telling me about all the wonderful things I do as a Mother. I'm not asking for diamonds, I have them. I'm not even asking for flowers, I can buy my own. I just wanted to hold onto the last shred of anything positive we could have together as we continue to raise our girls and that's respect for each other as parents, not as people. I promise I won't get the wrong idea if you were to tell me Happy Mother's Day or something of the like. You know what I would do? Say thank you. It will always mean the most coming from you because WE created life, twice. That connection between us and our girls can never go away, even if we wish the other person would.

I may be short, like really really short, but today I found that I stood tall. I stood tall because I have it in me to thank you for being a Dad to our girls. We don't get along, but I can set that aside to give ya a simple shout out. It's called separating. Grown ups have to do it often in life.

So I would like to take a minute and thank myself for being an awesome Mom! I would like to thank myself for being brave enough to step out on my own into the unknown in hopes for a better future for the girls and I. For not staying out of fear or uncertainty even though I knew it wasn't right. For making a change before I lost who I was as an individual and a parent. For finding 80 million reasons to love my kids everyday, even when I feel it's literally raining bird shit on my ginger locks. For being able to love my kids and be annoyed with them at the same time. For being able to admit my shortcomings and celebrate my parental wins. For having the strength to wipe my children's asses all the live long day. (Longest phase in parenting so far seems to be the wiping of the ass.) Most of all, for slowly realizing that even though I'm grateful for all the constant love and support I have from family and friends, I have to remember to give myself a pat on the back sometimes.

I know that as time goes on it will sting a little less if you never thank me on Mother's Day, or any day for that matter. I just hope that in time we go onward and upward with each other as parents vs down and out. I hope that even if we never find a way to get along (which I hope isn't the case) that we BOTH can show appreciation for each other as parents. Because at the end of the day, it shows our girls that even if we aren't together, together we love them.

So respect yo Motha'. Or in this case, your baby Mama.