La Little Lady

In honor of Mother's Day, I hugged my mom as tightly as possible (only to be outdone by her, since I'm currently so fucking feeble. She squeezed me like a tube of toothpaste. Her "bear hugs" are no joke), bit her cheek while she was smiling (obviously had it coming, since we're a family of cannibals. I defended myself from her grasp as best I could... with my teeth! jk), then smacked a huge kiss on her forehead.

I know I often talk shit. She drives me crazy with her unreal expectations and religious... fervor. She hurts my feelings with her brash, blunt comments (she has the will power and self-esteem of a lion, whereas a poorly chosen adjective can send me down a self-loathing-spiral)... as well as with her actions (I will NEVER forget how heavy her hands are... and how fucking hard she can swing a belt... that's just shit I'll remember until the day I die).
But I LOVE my mom. With all my heart.

We went through some of her old albums, where I got to see Mom from the time she was 14 until the time she married Dad, at 22.
What did I get out of it?
Mom was a vivacious girl (who looked A LOT like me).

Mawmaw in 6th grade!
It's like I'm looking at myself in the mirror!

She was adventurous.
She loved to laugh.
She was a LEADER.
She was popular.

That guy's fucking ugly.
Ok, I say that about ALL her ex-boyfriends.

She was inventive (she made the CRAZIEST Halloween costume once. She was a devil. How fitting, right? I'M JOKING).
She was bold, brave, strong... and could kick a guy's ass.

Strongest personality trait caught on camera.
This is when you know YOU'RE FUCKIN' UP! RUN!

My mom was one of the most awesome girls in town. A total firecracker.


My outgoing, athletic (homegirl had muscles before they were popular! And she didn't even try. SO jealous), intelligent mother... being a happy teen/early 20-year-old... and then she had to get married and call it a day.
Later, she produced me.
How the fuck?
I'm weaksauce, timid... above all, quiet to the point where I'd pay others to speak for me. I'd be frustrated with a kid like me as well.
I get you, Mom. I get you.

So... that being said, I'm glad I was given such an awesome woman for a mother. I can learn A LOT from her.
Mi Madre, Mi Ma, Mami, Enanilla, Shorty, Ko-beh (not to be mispronounced as "kobe"), La Little Lady, Mom, Mommy, Mother.
I love, love, love her! (even if I always look so dead-serious in photos with her)

I could probably do this to her now, if I tried...

That little lady is hella legit.
Super gangsta'.

(somehow, this feels like I've posted this in the past...)