I can’t stop laughing every time I view this video (and I’ve been watching it over and over again….).

It’s funny on its own, but it’s especially funny to those of us whose kids bicker like these two. Even (like mine) occasionally! (And by “occasionally” I mean “yesterday.”) Enjoy:

It’s not easy being a Mom. I know - I married a wonderful woman who has been a marvelous mother to our five children. We both benefited from faithful and devoted mothers growing up. Great Moms don’t just extend their hands to work. They open their hearts to love.

And that is why Moms are unique.

It’s not just a functional job, this Mommy Gig. It’s pouring your heart out into little angel/demons who both delight and exasperate, who return affection fivefold and spurn your loving direction five minutes later. It’s self-sacrifice, not for short-term pay, but for a long-term investment that few appreciate.

It’s seeing your heart grow, and fill, and bleed, and break.

If you’re a mother of children, one thing is certain - you’re going to mess up in a thousand ways (all of us parents do). But if you put your heart into your children, they’ll get the message. The return may be a long time coming, especially as you wrestle through the teen years. But carry on, even when it hurts. Our kids need Moms with a heart!

And a bunch of us Dads really appreciate you, too…

(Image credit)

Check out this fun (and funny!) promotion by MomsRising.org to celebrate someone you consider “Mother of the Year.”

The video allows you to customize with a few quick keystrokes a news report by CNNBC for the person you consider Top Mom. Type in a name and email address, and the program will do the rest. Be sure to send yours before Mothers Day this Sunday.

Included in the video clip are hysterical “man on the street” reactions to the announcement, as well as cameos by Obama as well as Octomom and Branjelina (both depicted wondering how you—or your chosen Mom—beat them out for the title).

Here is the link for the Mother of the Year Award video that you can customize and forward.

How appropriate that my first blog post on This Mommy Gig is also my first blog post on my very first Mother’s Day as a new mommy. I am filled with so many thoughts and emotions on my first Mother’s Day and I want to share a few of those here.

I always knew that I wanted children, but I knew that I didn’t want to start a family until after I finished college. Hmmm… while I could argue that I actually finally finished college just last year (completed second master’s degree), that wouldn’t really be very honest. So I will admit that it’s taken me a little longer to become a mother than I originally intended, but better late than never, right? So here I am with two beautiful twins — a little boy and a little girl — who bring me so much joy and happiness. Becoming a mom has been so much more rewarding than I ever imagined. Watching these two little people develop day-to-day is so very entertaining and fascinating. For example, just within the past few days they both have become so much more aware, interactive, and vocal. It’s so much fun to talk to them and have them try to mimic the sounds of the words.

One of the recurring thoughts going through my mind right now is a new awareness of just how strong my own mother is. I am so fortunate that I have a loving and supportive partner who is as fully involved with the care of our children as I am, but my mother was on her own at the age of 25 with a 4 year old and a newborn. She also worked full-time. I am coming to the realization that my mom really must be a real “Super Woman”, because how else could she have raised my brother and me so very well while holding a full-time career in hospital administration? What did she give up to provide so much for us? Oh, I almost forgot to mention that she also spent a good number of years taking night classes in an effort to complete her bachelor’s degree. Where did she get the energy? Granted, she was raising us through her twenties and thirties while I am just starting down the motherhood path in my mid/late thirties, but I am in very good health and pretty good shape for someone my age. My biggest fear is being in a job that demands so much of me that I have nothing left to give to my children, and my goal is to completely avoid being in such position even if it means that I have to turn down offers for advancement. While I love my work in education, my priority is to be a wonderful mother to my children. So it does amaze me when I think back on my own childhood and I recall so many wonderful moments spent with my mother. Despite a full-time career and taking classes part-time to complete a degree, she still found time to be with her children. We played together, we read together, we did projects together, we traveled together, we learned together, and we enjoyed life, love, and family together. I am so grateful to my mother for this and I hope to give the same to my own children.

How did I spend my very first Mother’s Day? We had BIG plans… We all stayed home and just enjoyed each other throughout the day. We took a fun little walk around the neighborhood in the afternoon, but other than that our big goal for the day was to just spend quality time with each other and our beautiful babies who are just beginning to become very vocal and full of smiles.  It was the best day I’ve had in a while!

So to all of the other mothers out there who may be reading this — including my own mom — I wish you all a fun and relaxing Mother’s Day filled with much love and joy!