Mother’s Day Traditions

Reflections on Mother’s Day 2016: A Family Affair

The girls are 8 years old this year. My son is 2 1/2 and my best friend’s son is 1 year old.

This year was our eighth Mother’s Day celebration at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and I really cannot imagine spending my Mother’s Day anywhere else.  My daughter is now 8-year’s old, so you can do the math, we’ve spent every Mother’s Day at the Garden since she was born.  What makes our time at the Garden so special for me is undoubtedly the beautiful scenery surrounding the historic Bloemendaal House.   Listening to the smooth sounds of Glennroy and Company, while enjoying a glass of wine and delicious lunch, surrounded by gorgeous peonies and roses – what could be better?  What really makes each Mother’s Day the most special is the time spent with family and friends.   You may have read some of my previous blog posts about our Mother’s Day tradition with my family and my best friend’s family. This year we continued our tradition.

Looking so grown up, except for the bunny ears

Hugs with Pop Pop

There are some friendships that grow to the point that those friends are basically a part of your family.  My best friend’s family and our family have that kind of friendship.  Having met as college roommates, she and I quickly formed a close friendship, but now our children have a special bond too.  Each Mother’s Day, my children can’t wait to see “Auntie” and her family, along with Pop Pop and Ni Ni (my best friend’s parents).

Perhaps it is something about being 8 years old, but it was astounding to see how much older our girls looked this year!  This year they were focused on chatting, practicing cartwheels, playing games with their little brothers and dancing.

When they were little, the girls were content to stay near the concert at Bloemendaal and dance the day away.  This year, the kids all wanted to visit the Children’s Garden, especially the area in and around the Garden Keeper’s Cottage.  They loved sweeping the cottage, playing house and exploring the neighboring garden.  My little guy really enjoyed sitting with the ceramic pig…

Playing in and around the Garden Keeper’s Cottage in the Children’s Garden.

According to my daughter, a visit to the Garden wouldn’t be complete without a chance to climb the 100-year-old mulberry tree in the Children’s Garden, even in fancy dresses.

In the Mulberry Tree

Another favorite place for the kids to play was the lawn adjacent  to Bloemendaal House.  They loved all of the green space for cartwheel practice or “dance-nastics” as my daughter likes to call her combination of dance and gymnastics.  The Lace House was quite spectacular this year surrounded by gorgeous azaleas and it provided a great hiding place and photo opportunity.

Surrounded by azaleas in Lace House gazebo

I loved seeing how much our daughters enjoyed being big sisters to their little brothers.  They enjoy playing games with them, keeping an eye on them and showing them around the Garden.  You can tell how much the little guys look up to both big girls too.  My son even started calling my best friend’s daughter his “buddy.”

Sweet big sisters playing with their little brothers

Each year, my children cannot wait to see Pop Pop’s band (Glennroy and Company) and, at 2 ½, my little guy was fascinated by Pop Pop’s flute.  Part way through our time in the Garden, he picked up a stick and began carrying it around with him.  He kept holding it up to his face and we couldn’t figure out what he was doing.  We finally realized that he was pretending to play the flute, just like Pop Pop.

Playing the “flute” like Pop Pop

After spending close to five hours playing and dancing at the Garden, our kids are usually exhausted.  Still, they never want to leave and they don’t want to say goodbye to their best friends.  I’m sure we will schedule another play date in the Garden soon, but there is something about Mother’s Day in the Garden that is extra special.

So tired, but not ready to say good-bye!