My phone was on vibrate and I didn't notice it. When I noticed I missed a call from D3 (who will be 15 next month) I admit, I panicked a little. Usually, she texts. A voice mail must mean an emergency. She left this message for me on my phone. It was an emergency indeed.
MOOOOOOOMMMMM! Where are you?! I swear to God, I've been watching this spider move across my room for, like, the last ten minutes and I really need you to come home so you can kill it. Okay? kay. thanks.Well, the desperation in her voice just left me holding the Bad Mommy trophy. I mean, to leave an almost fifteen year old home alone and defenseless against a big, bad, scary spider is absolutely reprehensible.
I drove home like only a SuperMom can. 007 has nothing on my SuperMom driving skills. As I ran into the house with my grocery bags I made sure I threw on my SuperMom cape to rescue D3 from peril.
I flew into the house, throwing the bags on the counter and continued up the stairs to help my damsel in distress. I busted through D3's bedroom door only to find her calmly laying on her bed reading a book.
"What took you so long," she asked.
"I ran into Mike and Marie. Where is it?"
"Oh, you got my message? Well, I decided to put my big girl panties on and take care of it myself. It was getting too close so I got a cup and heavy piece of paper, caught it, and let it go outside. I'm pretty proud of myself. I faced my fear and conquered!"
I walked back to my room and removed my cape wondering if I would ever need it again. I feel the day is coming when my cape will no longer be needed and can be permanently retired.
However, for now, I'll just keep it hanging in my closet... just in case.
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First sign of independence :)
ReplyDeletewhat restraint she showed... spiders don't leave my house alive!
ReplyDeleteAww that's terrible. I love it when my daughter (15 turning 16) still doesn't know the answer to certain things and requires my expertise. Doesn't happen often but feels lovely when I'm needed.
ReplyDeletehahaha you can come kill spiders for me anytime!
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm 23 years old and I CLUNG to my mother sobbing when she left my apartment (I just moved cross country!) yesterday. I might not need her for things like killing spiders anymore and I might insist on doing what I can for her so she doesn't have to, but I need my mother. :) (and i'm not ashamed to admit I'm still tearing up thinking about how much I miss her)
ReplyDeleteHaha I am 27 and still need my mom or dad to save me from spiders!
ReplyDeleteSniff. And she said she put on her big girl panties, you are doing lots of things right with that one. ; ) Erin
ReplyDeleteI do think it's best to keep that cape accessible. :) Ellen
ReplyDeleteBig girl panties make anything doable. Good for you and good for her.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to be needed! But I don't like the spider-calls. Spiders still freak me out, even though I'm 40-something...
ReplyDeleteI think your cape will always be needed. Maybe not to rescue, but to at least be a voice at the other end of the phone (or eyes at the other end of the text).
ReplyDeleteSweet story,
Pippi
i love this story! though the cape can never be permanently retired. not ever!
ReplyDeleteThat is too funny :D Awesome that she faced her fear of those eight-legged creepy crawlies! I wish I could do the same thing haha.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from TTUT ♥
Aww so sweet. It is hard to watch them need you less and less. If it was me though, I would have never found my big girl pants. I'm terrified of spiders. lol.
ReplyDeleteThat phone call just cracks me up. I can see my daughter doing that. What will we do when out Super Mom capes are no longer needed?? :)
ReplyDeletehahahahahahahahahahaha! Ok I still rely on my momma and I'm 29 years old! I wouldn't put it away just yet.
ReplyDeleteOh, such a nicely drawn depiction of motherhood and all the layers of letting go we moms have to endure. That cape - fabulous. Loved this. It said so much.
ReplyDeleteI love that she called you because she needed you and I loved that she took care of it herself. As someone not ready for the growing up going on in this house, I can only imagine the mixed emotions! Keep the cape - I'm sure you'll need it!
ReplyDeleteAwww, your cape will never be retired. Even when we're ready to sign up for AARP we will always want our mothers.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly commend your daughter for allowing that spider to live. I do my best to spread the word that we shouldn't kill spiders. They might be scary to look at, but they do good things for us. But they can do it outside! Nice post. I enjoyed it.
I liked the light, funny tone of this post. And I loved that she called you for help but eventually "pulled on the big girl panties." I'm sure your cape will never be fully retired but it's got to feel good to know that there are no signs she'll grow up into an incapable adult-lescent.
ReplyDeleteWell, if she has her big girl panties and no longer needs your spider-killing help, feel free to come over to the woods of MA and kill mine. ;)
ReplyDeleteoh man, that's awesome. You are one dedicated mom to rush home and kill a spider. When I was that age my mom would have either hung up the phone on me thinking I was joking or told me to grab a flip flop, squash it and grow up!
ReplyDeleteMy mom thinks I'm a real badass BUT she doesn't know I cried like a baby for an hour when she and my dad dropped me off at college (at the age of 17) 2,000 miles away from home. Your daughter will always need you at different times in her life. The background, circumstances and scene will change but girls ALWAYS need their mommy's.:) Keep that cape on standby.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is 11. Sometimes she will call three times when I've just run down the street to the store. Our first left for college this year. It's a completely different feeling when he calls and is upset - and you really can't do anything. Very tough on mom but they have to start sprouting their own cape and realize they can solve their own dilemmas.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good mother! This story actually resonates with me. Just before my divorce, my youngest daughter called me in a panic saying there were spiders in her room. I worried then "who will kill the spiders when I'm not there" Somehow they manage...
ReplyDeleteWell, you are a far braver and more accomplished super hero than I. Spiders = absolutely, positively no way in hell!
ReplyDeleteNice story!
Good work, mama! Glad your daughter got her big-girl panties and took care of this one -- big lesson in independence, huh?
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the day that my Little Dude will be able to do some of these things for himself. Or pretty much anything, actually.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing and terrible and sad and wonderful when they need us less and less.
ReplyDeleteYou told a great story that I think most parents can relate to!
Oh, and I'm sure you'll need your supermom cape a few more times yet. ;-)
Please come to my house because we have spiders coming out of our drain on the first floor. I am scared. I need you! ;-) Great post.
ReplyDeleteAwww... I think the cape will some in handy one day.
ReplyDeleteit may not be for spiders anymore, but she'll always need her Mom! Great telling. :)
ReplyDeleteMine are 9 and 12 and I am finding myself having to hang my cape up more often than ever before. It's great and scary at the same time. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete