Mac n’ Cheese Moments

I promised myself I wouldn’t be THAT mom. 

But I lied, I lied to myself, my children and to their future partners. I don’t know what to tell you, sorry – I guess. 

Let me explain, in my house I am the only person with the ability to cook a meal. Eight people, one person with skills above boiled water. This wasn’t the goal, but alas, here we stand. I suspect that more than an inability, my people lack desire, and I am clearly an enabler. 

Last week my boys got home from work just before midnight. My Friday had concluded and I had fallen asleep waiting for them to get home from work. There may or may not have been a cocktail included in my evening’s wrap-up. The point is, it was midnight and I was asleep. I happily warmed their dinners, discussed the night, sat with them while they ate, and began to head to my own bed when my son said, ‘Do you know what I was thinking about all night?’ 

It wasn’t so much the statement as the glint in his eye and the familiar look between brothers that hinted to my troubles. ‘Your Mac and Cheese.’ they said at the same time. 

Oh, shoot. But not shoot, the 4 letter word for shoot. 

Then began a clearly rehearsed dance of compliments, ego boosting and tom-foolery. One completing the sentence of another. Recalling wonderful, warming moments where macaroni and cheese would play the lead character. All the while gesturing for me to stay and come closer to them, while hypnotizing me with their love and kind words. 

I promise you I tried to resist. I said things like, “…are you serious, it’s too late for your BS”, and “…are you freaking kidding me”! But there stood my man children, having called in all the male Craigs to support the mission by asking, pleading, calling me with their evil ways. As my armor slowly chipped and I began the roux, I wondered how I had allowed myself to become THAT mom. 

But, here’s the thing. We all have our Mac n’ Cheese moments, the moment when you realize that your time with them is fleeting. In a blink we go from bedtime stories and nightly tuck-ins to ‘Don’t wait up!’ At that moment I wasn’t choosing to make Mac n’ Cheese, I was choosing to add another moment to our memory banks. So yeah, that is how I found myself at 1 a.m. in my pajamas making homemade mac and cheese. And given the opportunity…I’ll do it again!