Hero Night at The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

The YouTube ID of Insert video URL or ID here is invalid. If you’ve been reading for awhile you know that we love Chick-Fil-A. I’m super excited and proud to partner with them and The Motherhood again, this time to highlight Hero Night at The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh presented by Chick-Fil-A. All opinions and genuine love of our wonderful city’s amazing children’s museum remain my own.

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I asked Lilly and Gracie tonight if they thought Mommy’s were super heroes. Grace touched a finger to her chin and started to think. “Can you breathe fire?” she asked. “Can you do “OOOOOOOOOO” like a beluga whale?” she asked, touching two fingers of each hand to her temples, simulating echo location. I asked the girls if heroes have to have super powers and they weren’t quite sure what to say. After a minute or two Lilly added her thoughts.

“People say ‘he’s my hero’ or ‘she’s my hero’ all the time, right Mom?” I told her that was correct and asked her what might be some things people do that make other people consider them heroes. She started jabbering away with a million and one things that might be hero-worthy.

“Helping others, delivering the mail, putting out fires, saving people from danger, fighting bad guys, helping the earth, healing a broken bone…” I could tell she was thinking back to a community helpers lesson she’d had at school recently, my little fact memorizer. Grace was quiet. I kept signing “what” and “hero” and “why” and she thought and thought. I signed “Mom” and “hero” and “why” and she smiled.

“Because we love you!” she beamed.

I don’t think it’s too much more complicated than that. Our children reflect what we are to them. Love, help, caring and tenderness. They see us so perfectly. I think about my own sweet Mama when I look at my girls and can’t help but get all choked up over what she’s given to me. The confidence to be a mother to my girls, guidance, advice, love. For the better part of her life she’s dedicated everything she is to taking care of her five children, then her three granddaughters, and finally her first daughter in law, then the second one and eventually the third and fourth (God willing, we’ll see how my youngest brother fares with the ladies, ha!)

But if you think about all a mother really does in her entire lifetime – the wonderful but heavy burden of raising a family for eternity – it’s really quite amazing. And I’m honored to get to play one small part in the role of the word “Mom”.

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When I heard about Hero Night I was overcome with a weird excitement-sadness – it was the perfect day/time/event to spend time together as a family before Gracie’s big surgery. It’s hard to admit how nervous I am for her to go through this surgery and recovery. She’s old enough to know and not know at the exact same moment what’s happening to her which presents interesting challenges and heartaches. My sweet little baby having to do some very big girl growing up. At the same time I think how much of the world is at her fingertips and how much growing up she’s already done. Looking back at some particular memories at this Children’s Museum has me all choked up. So much fun exploring here, so many smiles. So many people we’ve brought on these outtings – grandparents and aunts and uncles and friends.

Look how sweet my little darlings are exploring!

I can’t wait to surprise them with such a fun event! Hero Night at The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is an event to celebrate Moms, the everyday heroes. (yes us – you, me, your own Mom, her Mom, your best friend!) There will be a red carpet, a dance floor, all kinds of hero-themed activities (capes and masks anyone?!) as well as some awesome Chick-Fil-A food and fun opportunities to support Glimmer of Hope.

If you are considering going, head HERE for details on getting tickets. The event is taking place Mother’s Day weekend- Saturday March 13th from 6:30-9:30 in the evening. All ticket sales benefit Glimmer of Hope Foundation. And if you’re taking your little ones let me know and come find me! It’s always so much fun getting to meet my online Mama friends in person. You deserve a hug and some major props for being your own kids’ super hero!

This will be the start of a week full of change, pain, happiness and sorrow as we end a chapter of our little one’s life and begin a whole new one.

We’re ready.

(as ready as a Mama can be…)

xoxo

-J