Cheers to you, Mom!
Mother’s Day...It’s the one day of the year that we, as moms, hope our families will take a giant step back, and really appreciate everything we do to keep things in motion. Not to discredit the hard work done by dads, grandparents, the UPS driver who delivers all the Amazon Prime & Spirited packages, etc. we know that you work hard too. But you all have your own special days, so let us have this one, OK?
Being a mom is a full-time job. You’re on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As I sit and write this, and as you’re sitting here reading it [if you’re a mom, too] I have a little person calling for me to help him, I would guess you have a mom duty also calling your name – literally or figuratively.
Here at Spirited Gifts, we have a lot of moms helping run our company. As with most companies, our employees come from diverse backgrounds and our families are at different stages of life. In light of Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, I thought it would be great to talk to all of our moms. What I found, is that no matter what your background, no matter how old your children are, and no matter what stage of life your family is currently in, we all have two things in common. First, we love our children unconditionally. We love that they make us laugh. We love that they make us proud. We love that we get to mold impressionable minds into amazing tiny humans, that seem to bring out the best in us, and become the versions of ourselves that we wish we could be. And most importantly, we as moms, love that we have discovered that it’s possible to feel your heartbeat outside your body when we hug these young people that we love so much. Cue all the tears.
Secondly, I have found that these incredible little people, make us crazy. Sometimes as a mom, you find yourself thinking things like, “Did I actually just say that? Did I actually just tell my child not to eat the four-day-old chicken nugget that the dog pulled out from behind the couch with his teeth? No. No, this isn’t my life.” Guess again mommy, it is your life, and it is every other moms’ life too! It’s easy to feel alone when you’re washing tiny socks, driving kids to school and not sleeping. But don’t worry, you’re doing great. You’re not alone, and I can personally attest that I haven’t slept through the night since sometime in 2012 – so even if no one else does, I feel your pain!
After chatting with the moms of Spirted Gifts, we have decided that the best thing to do is to embrace the crazy, and when all else fails, make yourself a drink – or three, we’re not going to judge!
If you need a little pick-me-up, or just a good laugh, on this special Mother’s Day weekend, enjoy some of the silly stories that our moms shared. If you’re really feeling fun, try out some of our moms’ favorite drinks – because no “you won’t believe what my kid did” story is complete without an after bedtime [any time after 9 a.m., really] drink to go with it.
Kristen, Customer Service Manager: Mom of two, ages 3 & 5
My 3-year-old decided to throw at fit from 1:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m. solely because his socks were not the right ones. He picked them out himself before bedtime.
Go to drink of choice: Margarita with Partida Reposado Tequila (https://spiritedgifts.com/partida-reposado-tequila)
Rona, Web Manager: Mom of two, ages 1 & 3
When my daughter was two, I took her to the mall and she pulled her dress over her head and ran through a department store. It caused four other little toddler girls to do the same. Four other moms and I had to chase our little half-naked girls around the store! It was hilarious, but also super embarrassing because I know my kid started it.
Go to drink of choice: Moscow Mule (https://spiritedgifts.com/titos-moscow-mule-gift)
Dania, Customer Service: Mom of one, 5 weeks
My baby got jet lagged and now he sleeps the entire day and cries all night. [Hang in there mama, we’ve all been there. It will get better… in one to three years. xoxo]
Go to drink of choice: Props to Dania who is not currently drinking. But the countdown is on until she can enjoy a vodka cocktail again! (https://spiritedgifts.com/double-cross-vodka)
Tammy, Customer Service: Mom of three, ages 19, 16 & 12
When my now 16-year-old was 5, she was petrified of police officers. My husband has a lot of friends on the force so he arranged for her to have a tour of the police station to help get over her fears and realize police officers are our friends. While on the tour, and in front of about 12 officers, my daughter decided to announce "my mommy has handcuffs just like yours but hers have pink fur on them.”
Go to drink of choice: Ciroc Red Berry with cranberry juice (https://spiritedgifts.com/ciroc-red-berry-vodka)
Jamie, Marketing and Sale Assistant: Mom of two, ages 10 & 16
When my son was three and my daughter was nine, we decided to take a trip that required us to fly. My son was very energetic, as most kids are at that age, so I decided to use a backpack with a lead on it. In my head, this would allow him to walk freely and I could have more control over all of our luggage and be able to keep tabs on my daughter. From the moment we got out of the car, my son was bolting around, literally pulling me forward as the luggage pulled me backwards through the airport. It became so chaotic that we were unable to check-in to our flight in time, and missed it entirely. I decided to try and take the backpack off of him, at which time he decided to run away from me, while myself and my daughter frantically chased him through the airport. He laughed and laughed because he thought it was a game, while I tried not to cry. Looking back, it makes a great story!
Go to drink of choice: Bikini Martini which is a mix of coconut rum, vodka, pineapple juice, and grenadine. (https://spiritedgifts.com/malibu-caribbean-rum-with-coconut & https://spiritedgifts.com/reyka-vodka)
Cassie, Engraving: Mom of two, ages 2 & 10 months
When I was pregnant with my second baby I had really bad morning sickness. My older child, who was one at the time, would see me throwing up constantly and began to think it was a game. So, every time he saw a toilet, he would pretend to throw up in it.
Go to drink of choice: Gin and Tonic (https://spiritedgifts.com/tanqueray-malacca-gin-1liter)
Erin, Customer Service: Mom of two, ages 5 & 6
I live in a rural area where the speed limit is 30-mph. I also find myself chatting with police officers about my lead foot. Recently, I was pulled over for going 40-mph in a 30-mph zone. As the officer walks up to my window and asks where I was going and what the rush was, my son from the back seat pipes up and says “My mommy gets pulled over a lot because she drives too fast!”. Luckily the officer thought it was funny, told my son he was “really helping mommy out” by telling him that information, and let me go with just a warning.
Go to drink of choice: Sauvignon Blanc (https://spiritedgifts.com/robert-mondavi-oakville-fume-blanc)
Whether you’re a mom or have a special mom in your life, we hope that you have a wonderful Mother’s Day. If you’re going to be pampering that special lady in your life this weekend, remember – breakfast in bed should ALWAYS come with a mimosa!