A few days ago, I overheard my boys talking about whether or not I had magic.
"Mom has magic, absolutely," said the middle son. He believed it because I had hooked up automated lights in a set of seashells we had collected together on our last trip to the beach. The lights "magically" turned on just as the sun had set, and they looked so pretty sitting on our windowsill in the front room. His toothless grin reflecting back through the glass vase warmed my heart as he stared in wonder.
"No, only Santa and the Tooth Fairy have magic," said the youngest son. He set off to investigate whether the lights were plugged into the wall or if there was a battery attached.
"There must be a scientific reason she does what she does and it just looks like magic," said the oldest one. He is most like me and is always looking for the reason for something to happen. He'll question the tooth fairy being able to see all the boys and girls who have lost a tooth in the same day. He sits up and waits to see if he can spy Santa visiting the house.
I giggled in the other room and shared, "Of course I have magic. All moms have magic - just like the Tooth Fairy and Santa do. It's a mom thing."
Then came the chatter of whether I have eyes in the back of my head (which they've adoringly named "Mom's Back Eye"), whether my magical kisses really make boo-boos feel better, whether I really know if they've brushed each one of their teeth and if I can stoplights turn red to green with my own powers. I think this "magic" is what most moms use when they are mothering their babies. Breastfeeding is magic, going all day long without sleeping at night is magic, loving your family through good days and bad days is magic. Being a mom is magic.
The evening went on and we got distracted with homework, laundry, and stories. When we settled down for the night, my magic-believing middle guy hugged me and said, "I know most moms don't have magic, mom, but you do."
Yep, buddy, I do.
What "magic" do you have? Do you share it with your babies and your family?
