My Loves. Photo by the very talented Nathan Lawrenson

“You’re a great mom,” Sweet Pea said to me last night at dinner.

I stared at her, homemade pizza midway to my mouth, and raised my eyebrows. Less than 30 minutes before I’d been yelling at redirecting her to stop pinching her brothers and, really, great was the last thing I was feeling.

Frustrated, tired, desperately anxious for bedtime (hers and mine), and considering how uncouth it would be to have another cup of coffee just so I could spike it with a bit of kahlua was more inline with my inner musings.  Great hadn’t even crossed my mind.

But to her, in that moment, I was great.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

With innocent, blue, four-year old eyes she replied simply, “Because you love me.”

And that, my friends, is the start of One Great Mom.