Sunday, April 19, 2009

Becoming my mother....

When i was a kid, my mum would not let us especially me being the first child sleep till the living room and kitchen were sparkling clean. Behind her, we all called her a freak. Like really, couldn't it have waited till morning. No way, you couldn't reason with my mum on that.

If she woke up at 2am and the house was untidy, trust me, she was heading to my bed. Initially i used to argue and beg her to let it wait but i found out that never worked. I would spend several minutes begging her, then spend the rest tidying up, so i decided to do it in good grace always telling myself that one day i would have my own home and be able to make my own rules.

Trust me, i love my mum so much, she just had her idiosyncracies. A lot of our times spent together, which was most times with my siblings, we'd all tease her and tell her she needed to relax or else her grey hairs would increase. lol..well that never stopped mama writefreak.

If you were sleeping at 6a.m, my mum thought that was a huge offence, even on Saturdays. It took my dad's intervention for her to allow us sleep in a bit on Saturdays. And even at that, she'd walk all over the house, making comments about how we all were refusing to get up early in the morning and asking what we were still doing in bed. Considering i am a light sleeper, i used to just get up in annoyance and say 'ok mummy what do you want me to do'? My siblings would just hold the covers over their heads tighter.

Can you imagine that even after i got married, my mum still did this and my husband and i just teased her and said she should relax cos we weren't getting out of bed yet. Lol...she got the message and we all had a good laugh about it. It doesn't mean though that if i go tomorro to visit Mama and Papa Writefreak, she still wouldn't try her luck...lol. My mum is just an amazing woman, so strong and clean.

Fast forward 10 years after this, Writefreak has been married a while, has her own home that she dreamed of and can do anything she likes. Yeah anything she likes! First thing Writefreak will notice when she had a few siblings staying with her was anything that wasn't in place. Calssic Mama Writefreak attitude, infact, my mother would start asking why some things were not in place as she settled down once she entered the house. My siblings pointed out i was exactly like our mum and i said rubbish, you're just lazy...

Recently, i found myself tidying the sitting room at 3 am and i didn't think it was wrong, i only wanted to do it so things would be easier for me when i woke up the following day. Wait, isn't that reasonable? What if that's what my mother would have done.

A few days ago, night owl that i am, i was chatting with a few friends and working at about 2:30 am when i got very hungry. I decided to get a slice of bread from the fridge (yeah, yeah, i know better, it's not healthy to eat at such od dhours and bla bla..), i got to the fridge and i promptly ignored the bread. Yours truly noticed some dirt spots inside the fridge and just swung into action. I cleaned two layers and then it occured to me it was the early hours of the morning already. I got my bread deliberately and came to the living room but i just couldn't take my mind off it. I really wanted to clean the fridge at that time. I forced myself not to, it could wait till morning. It took a lot of will though. My mother would have done the same, maybe even done the cleaning at that time.

Help! Am i becoming my mother?

48 comments:

Flourishing Florida said...

Hahaha. I can imagine ur mom driving u guys nuts

Afrobabe said...

I was already typing this so I will just copy and paste here..

I find myself becoming more and more like my mother everyday.Things she did that upset and embarrass me are things I uncounsciously do now.

My mum called every one "My dear" and I hated it like mad.She would call my friends, their neighbours and mothers "My dear"...Recently I find myself saying my dear in agreement with whatever my friends say...ie..My dear that is small copmpared to what the idiot I met said"!!

Mumcy would pray 247 for family and friends traveling, I used to wonder why she had so much evil promonitions in her mind...she slapped me once for asking how her prayers would stop my dad from having an accident. I now find myself calling up friends I went out with to know if they got home safely. Calling friends on blind dates to see if they are still alive!!!

Anonymous said...

hehehehehehehehehe
yes you are, but considering that Mama Writefreak is a strong kindhearted and hardworking Woman, I dont see anything wrong with it. XOXO

Bibi said...

Shooo! That's a good thing. I wish I were more like my mother. Its just that's the way you were brought up and now you can't depart from it. lol

Rita said...

It is amazing how we take traits from our parents, especially the things we did not like so much...

But Mama Writefreak sounds like a strong woman who can discipline well well so you wont lose anything if you become like her....come on...we need to see signs that she is ur mother....

miz-cynic said...

its not such a bad thn becoming ur mother.luk on d bright side.ur home wil always b spik n span

Unknown said...

Yeah, you're definitely evolving into your mum! The apple does not fall far from the tree.

Tigeress said...

Thats how u were raised darling and its now a part of u. lol!!

African Weight Loss Diva said...

Wow, thats nice, i guess everyone has a part of their mum in them sha! lol.

Spesh said...

I guess its lyk dt with most mums..
Ma mum's lyk dt as wel and 1ce she isnt around,i jst bcum her..

BSNC said...

lol you are really your mother's daughter....

Original Mgbeke said...

LOL, you're in my head. I am definitely becoming my mom and my mom is like yours, the neat freak. I just scrubbed my bathtub at 1:00 am in the morning. It's quite funny how growing up I always insisted that I didn't wanna be like mother dearest and here I am today.

doll (retired blogger) said...

my mum c too is like that, i too cant sleeep past 6am but i'l rather linger in bed and day dream..

olusimeon said...

i guess this also has to do with sweeping the sitting room continually at every 15 - 30 mins interval..;-).
how are you now,.?

Olufunke said...

Omo Mummy........na your mama born you o jare.
I see my self behaving like my mum sometimes......some day I just chuckle , so time I try to deny with when people point it out, and some other times, I pray about some issues
Its just funny.........how will they know you came form her! :-)

Writefreak said...

FFF: You can say that again...Now i'm scared i will do the same to my kids...lol

Afrobabe: You feeling me! Verdit, we are becoming our mothers!

Temite: Guess you're right, ain't nothing wrong with being like that!

Bibi: Yep you're right! Watch out, you might become like her yet

Rita: Hahahaha! Yes i is a strong woman!

miz-cynic: lol, trust me i can tidy the house die!

inmyhead: hmmm...scary, i berra watch out for the things like 'nagging' then

Tigeress: Yep, you're so right hon!

Diva: Yep i think we all do, let us just not pick the wrong things!

MyWld: I am first and i think she rubbed off on me too much! lol

BSNC: Yes! I'm proud to say na my mama born me!

Mgbeke: Oh my sister, see our lives! We're definitely becoming our mothers!

doll: no use jumping out of bed jo, i feel you

simeone: i don't know what you're talking about

Olufunke: Yes o, na my mama born me! Sometimes i tend to live in denial that i am not like her at all...but who am i kidding, how're you?

Adaeze said...

lol you sound like me. neat freak.
its funny how we all turn into our parents in many ways.. nothing too wrong about it though! just let your kids sleep longer than 6 am ;-)

Buttercup said...

So this means im inevitably going to be like u, blog momma!

lol..

downtheaisle said...

lol!, u were thinking of cleaning the fridge dat late!!!, I hope ur gray hairs won't be more than ur mom before u know it. Anywayz its all gud!

Chiamaka said...

Help? were you planning to turn to something else? write freak, neat freak, anything else freak? lol. have fun being a neat freak. it isn't eveyone who would care about how clean or dirty the fridge was. i wouldn't even notice, and mine is what is bad

Nefertiti said...

LMAO! I was reading this and nodding my head like mad. That IS ME! The Mr. thinks I have acute OCD... lol. Who cares? As long as i get my way ;)

Anonymous said...

oh yes, u r...lol...but that's just what mums do...albeit, not necessary @ that time of the night/early morning...

Rayo said...

tis inevitable that u would become her. get used to it already.

jhazmyn said...

if you no resemble your mama, who you wan come resemble?...lol. as for me, I'm no where near my mom...which i think is bad sometimes, my mom would so love you though

Tyger said...

you are definitely your mum in that sense... you have to accept it... i did accept that i have become my mum... when my younger brother caught me washing the toilet at 3am and said ... you are cuckoo! just like your mother! washing loo at midnight!

what can i say? i said - it was dirty na!

see?

life is a vicious cycle... lmao

Tyger said...

you are definitely your mum in that sense... you have to accept it... i did accept that i have become my mum... when my younger brother caught me washing the toilet at 3am and said ... you are cuckoo! just like your mother! washing loo at midnight!

what can i say? i said - it was dirty na!

see?

life is a vicious cycle... lmao

OluOla said...

are you sure we are not related?? :)
your mum sounds a lot like mine.... i know how it is when all of a sudden you find yourself behaving just like her.

Good Naija Girl said...

Hehehe..you have become your mummy o, and I mean being clean isn't a bad thing so that's good.

It makes me laugh how the things that annoy me the most are the things I seem to have picked up from my mom.

I feel the same way though: I love my mom to bits despite those parts I keep saying I don't want to inherit :)

Enkay said...

Sometimes I wonder if there are genes responsible for these things. I think I am becoming more like my dad than my mom.

Okay, lemme say I have a bit of both of them in me.

I wouldn't call my mom a nag, but she has a way of repeating things. Sometimes I find myself doing that with my hubby and I deliberately force myself to stop!

It's an interesting phenomenon I tell you!

aloted said...

u r just a clean freak.

all da best with the midnight cleaning

aloted said...

and pls dont come and be bullying your children o...anyway u will answer to me if u try it ;-)

Geebee said...

Good for you o. especially given the fact that your mum is a role model of sorts. Some ladies would wish to be anyone else but their mum. Sis, you need no 'help' abeg. Watch out in future. You just might be breeding some future 'writefreaks' in your daughters (current or future).lol

Geebee said...

Good for you o. especially given the fact that your mum is a role model of sorts. Some ladies would wish to be anyone else but their mum. Sis, you need no 'help' abeg. Watch out in future. You just might be breeding some future 'writefreaks' in your daughters (current or future).lol

NaijaScorpio said...

I heard we all become out mothers. Don't fight it, just save this post so u can show ur kids when they start to complain about ur idiosyncrasies.

Anonymous said...

Hello Writefreak,

What a lovely piece. You are so spot on.

Wifey tells me all the time how she thought her mum was so hard on her because she was forever in the kitchen preparing for the numerous hungry mouths as the first born of a Vicar based in Abeokuta, Nigeria. You can imagine. By the way, she is the 1st of 7 children.
Now, she is a cater and one of the best at it.

As per wifey's kitchen, say no more. It just had to be sparkling. No spillage even whilst cooking, that meticulous.

So I can relate to your story. My siblings tell me I behave so much like my dad now and I know where they are coming from.

Nice post. Nice Blog. Nice everything.

God bless

Writefreak said...

Adaeze: Hi fellow freak, nice to meet you...lol..i promise to let them sleep beyond 6am, thanks for being an advicate for my unborn kids..lol!

Bcup: Yes daughter, be prepared for a life of doing chores at odd hours..lol

downtheaisle: sister, wetin? you dey curse me? lol...bring on the greys sef!

Haveyouanywool: Are you sure you wouldn't notice??

Nefertiti: Na you get OCD o...no be me...(you and ur mammy water pic, lol)

justdoyin: the idea is to get the job done right? lol

rayo: Ish...thanks for the encouragement..lol

jhazmyn: i no fit resemble myself? ahn ahn...lol at your mum loving me!

tyger: go away! vicious cycle ko, vicious cycle ni...but really you are cuckoo!

Oluola: hmmm...maybe we need DNA test...lol

GNG: Yup i love mine too with all my heart! Even with all her idiosyncracies...lol

Enkay: Tell me about nagging! Me i shall never be a nagging wife and mummy o, so help me God!

aloted: Thanks for the compliment and kind wishes...hmmm...i foresee the kids calling you to report me..oh God! lol

Geebee: Hmmm guess you're right...my prayer is to be a good mother and a role model to my future kids!

Sting: Hahaha..lol..great idea!

babajidesalu: Your wife's experience definitely resonates with me...i'm the first of 5 kids and there was a time my dad was actively into politics, i was home on a long break, so every morning, i made meals for several adults...who would use our home as base to discuss politics. Arrrggghhh..those days!

Lol at nice everything...thanks for the compliment!

tobenna said...

This post brought a smile to my face. So spot on.
Its a good thing. BTW I thought women were more like their fathers than mothers?

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

We all end up becoming like our mothers. I love my mom, but my goal is to accumulate all her great qualities and none of the ones that drove me nuts, lol! Wishful thinking I guess...

disguisedfeelings said...

hehehe. very funny. of course u have bcome like ur mom. but since it's a matter of cleanliness, then no shaking. just dont do urs in d middle of d nite. lol

Unknown said...

And who says you can't become your mum?

If being apt in getting things done the right way means being your mum, then that's whats up!

I can't imagine what the world would be like without mothers...

Anonymous said...

unconsciously, we copy some traits from our parents and we do them, even if they are those things we swore we would never do. Let's hope your kids wont start calling you neat freak too. have a good weekend

Mimi said...

:) sorry about the restriction. minor mishap.

:) i was telling my mum the other day, that I find myself doing the very things I used to laugh at her for..like squeezing her lips together when she isn't pleased, or cleaning and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning...

I am glad for the cleaning bit though :) I like being a bit freaky about cleanliness :)

Writefreak said...

tobenna: glad you liked the post...oh i'm not sure am like my dad in any way!

SD: Don't we all just want their good side? lol...i still hope to be able to kill the bad ones!

disguisedfeelings: lol i'll try to not do it in the middle of the night...i'll really try!

Dammy: you can say that again! Mothers are just the best!

naijagirl: i think it's a lost battle! My kids would defo call me a clean freak!

Mimi: ah right! you're forgiven for restricting the blog! lol...Me and you both..clean freaks..lol

Anonymous said...

Forgive me Writefreak, for I have erred.. LOL.... I think it started over my Naija trip with all the backlog i racked up.. I just marked all read in my google reader....Will definitely keep on coming back.. You know you peeps shed spiritual light on blogsville.. I can't afford not to read o!!!

Writefreak said...

Danny, go and sin no more! lol
Hope you're good!

Nigerian Wedding Websites said...

LOL@wanting to clean at 2am!! Not even if im hypnotised! Update please:)

Unknown said...

YES YOU ARE

Anonymous said...

my mum did all those mutterings too and we'd just pretend that we dont hear her.now that am off to college in a new country i miss her so much!!!u should be proud that ur ur mum,...she sounds like mine so i guess shes also as good as mine!