My First Mother's Day As A Step Mom!

I've been a cat mom for quite a few years now... probably around 14 years! But I've only officially been a step mom for approximately 10 months or so? My 7 year old step daughter lost her mother in May of 2022. So this was her first mother's day without her biological mom. (And my first mother's day as a step mom.) I felt that it was important for me to try to make the day as special and as fun as possible.

I originally planned to take my step daughter roller skating. She's never been roller skating before and there just happens to be a famous roller skating rink about 5 minutes away from where we stay. I made all the arrangements and then finally at the very last minute, two days before mother's day, her father and I got into an argument about me taking his daughter/ my step daughter roller skating. The problem is that the roller skating rink is located only a few blocks away from where my step daughter's maternal grandmother lives. And her grandmother is not allowed to see her! That's a long story! So at the very last minute I had to figure out where else I could take my step daughter on mother's day.

My step daughter had requested several times to take flowers to her mother's grave, but her father was entirely against it. He's not against her visiting the grave. But he felt that visiting the grave on mother's day was a very bad idea since it was very possible that we could run into her grandmother and other family members from the maternal side of her family. But her father did promise to take her to the cemetery on another day soon!

Finally I decided to take my step daughter to the California Science Center. My step daughter loves science! But I wanted to surprise her so I wouldn't tell her where we were going. All I told her was that I was taking her somewhere special for mother's day! She kept trying to guess where we were going. At one point she guessed a museum which was basically right! Great guess! So mother's day finally arrived! I hurried up and went to the farmer's market first where I purchased some strawberries, raspberries and blackberries for my step daughter to eat. I called my own mother on the phone to wish her a happy mother's day and I texted my own step mother and wished her a happy mother's day as well. Then I went to my favorite health food store and purchased a raw organic chocolate mouse to share with my step daughter. I felt that eating chocolate together would make it an extra special day. My step daughter loves chocolate and I hardly ever allow her to eat it. Chocolate gets her a bit hyper! My step daughter was very surprised to find out that the main ingredient in the chocolate mouse was avocado... a fruit she hates and would never eat! Surprisingly, she continued eating the chocolate mouse even after finding out this horrible fact! Supposedly this was the first time she ever ate avocado in her life! The chocolate mouse was delicious so it was a win all around!

Finally around 1:45pm we raced out of the apartment and into the car. We were headed to the Science Center. I wanted to make sure we got their in time to purchase tickets for the 2:30pm IMAX showing of "Under The Sea 3D." We parked with just 5 minutes to go! So we ran to the box office and purchased the tickets... But then we both had to use the restroom! Then my step daughter requested popcorn! She had watched her first movie at a movie theater with her father exactly one week before mother's day, but he had refused to buy her popcorn. It was too expensive! My step daughter felt that she had missed out on the full movie experience due to lack of popcorn. So this time I purchased popcorn for her! She was happy! $5 for a tiny little container that she only took 3 bites from. I carried around a full container of popcorn for the rest of the day. (Her dad finished it off that evening.)

My step daughter talked through the entire movie! She loved it! It was in 3D and very life like. I'm glad we made it just in time to see the movie. I think that was the best part of the visit! After that we walked around and viewed the permanent exhibits. Interestingly, there was a covid-19 exhibit on display. I say interestingly because my last article just happens to be about an awkward covid-19 conversation I recently had with one of my neighbors. The conversation ended with me explaining how sickness and cures are purposely marketed to the public. I thought to myself that this covid-19 exhibit was a prime example of exactly what I was trying to relay to my neighbor! It proved my point in a way. How synchronistic!

My step daughter and I then browsed through the gift shop (her idea)! Ofcourse she wanted to buy everything! At some point my step daughter started to complain that she was tired so we had to sit down for a moment. We were walking around quite a bit. My step daughter was also looking a little sad. Perhaps she was thinking about her biological mother, which is completely understandable. I purchased some expensive bottled waters and a yogurt for my step daughter... and finally we visited a rose garden that was right across from the science center! By this time my step daughter was completely exhausted! She picked some roses up off the ground and we took them home with us. When we finally got home she went straight to bed! We were only at the science center for 3 hours but I suppose it was just too much walking for her. And that's where mother's day ended! All in all, I think it was a successful day! But I told her father that I thought she might be sick. The next day we received a phone call from her school to pick her up early. She had a slight fever. Then the next day, on Tuesday, she stayed home from school because she wasn't feeling well. Oh well! I tried to make the day special! But maybe we over did it just a bit? I suppose in the end it's the thought that counts! If I managed to make my step daughter feel loved (which I'm sure I did) then that's all that really matters!

Jennie H is a Reiki Master Energy Healer, Co-Founder of Self Saviorz Society California Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Poet, Author and Entertainer with goals to help raise the vibration and consciousness of humanity!