Where are my magic powers?

    I always thought that mothers had magical powers.  It always seemed that my mother had them.  Spotless house at all times, the uncannily accurate sense which allowed her to easily see what shouldn't have been readily visible, homecooked meals after teaching high school kids all day, the ability to make time seem plentiful when it was most certainly stretched thin, laughter and wisdom that seemed to be spun out of the air......  And I'm not sure I ever really gave her credit for all of this---because I thought---that's what a mother is---when you become a mother---you automatically receive these magical powers.  You become Donna Reed---or in my mom's case---Donna Reed with a job.  It isn't something you expend effort to become--it's just something you are---involuntarily.  So--now I'm a mother--and I can't help but wonder---where are my magical powers?  And why am I still kind of an idiot?  As my friend Meghan would say--What the hey, man?

Confession time:

Sometimes---when I've been spit up on for the fifth time---rather than change my shirt---I just turn it around backwards. 

Just yesterday---it appeared that our  bedroom had literally exploded---leaving debris in the form of laundry for as far as the eye could see.  My comment to Miriam---"Oooo, wait till your daddy sees this....you are going to be in so much trouble!"  Except--she's too little for me to start blaming her for stuff.  She knows it too--cause she just laughs---the little turkey.

The poop--the spit up---the sticky milk mouth---all the stuff that I was always grossed out about with other random babies (sorry other random babies)---it really doesn't faze me with Miriam. There's gotta be something intrinsically wrong with finding a smidge of poo in an---- errr---- undesirable location and just going--Ah well, baby wipes aren't just for babies, now are they?

Sometimes--ok a lot of times---rather than doing one of the infinite things on my to do list --I just sit with Miriam---and move her little hands and feet to the music.  We've now come up with some awesome choreography to "Kung Fu Fighting" and the Glee Cast version of "Deck the Halls."  Ummm--most of it was her idea.  I'm just endlessly entertained by it.

I let and encourage my baby to kick me.  I say in my sing-song voice which is probably beyond annoying to anyone over the age of two---Don't you kick your mama!  And Miriam then kicks me as fast as she can---grinning the whole time.  Then I tell her I'll have to call Nanny 911 and she'll be stuck in a naughty chair-------she's not buying it.  Hopefully I'm not setting her up to be inclined towards violence....but it's so darn cute right now.

So you see--the grace and wisdom which was supposed to descend on me like a dove from heaven once I became a mother---yeah--it took one look at me and flew the coop. 

Still---you can't have babies around and not have a little magic---so here are some of Miriam's best tricks.  The following tricks all have one thing in common---can you guess what it is?

Miriam can make the phone ring---just by crying.

Miriam can make me appear at her side in an instant---by crying.

Miriam can make Sarah (our little mutt) whimper----by crying.

Miriam can make us offer her food, diaper change, entertainment, cuddles, kisses, sympathetic noises in rapid succession and in endless repetitions---all by crying. 

Magic, I tell you.

Here are a few more of her tricks--which have a different trigger.

Miriam can make our hearts spontaneously melt--- even at three in the morning---by smiling.

Miriam can make us remember what's important--and what's not---(because sometimes we lose sight of this)---just by smiling.

Miriam can make us be sillier than we ever knew we were capable of being---by smiling.

Miriam can remind us to pray for and give to anyone who is small, helpless, and drifting---all with one little smile.

I may not have magical powers---but my kid has a few tricks up her sleeve.  And I have a happy and thankful heart---and a home that seems to echo in laughter and love.  And I'm beginning to think those magic powers my mom had weren't magic powers after all---but rather fruits of the spirit acquired through working hard to cultivate a heart that was in line with what God wanted her heart to be.  Working hard?  Really?  It may not be effortless magic---but somehow--looking back---that just makes her more special than I thought in the first place, doesn't it?  

Oh yeah and PS--- here's a gratuitous cute kid pic.