Written on August 9, 2022

If there was someone who truly loved kids for who they are and not what he/she hoped they were, it’s my mom. As a parent, my best qualities are a result of watching my mom parent me and my siblings, then watching her be an exceptional aunt to my cousins, and now, watching her hit it out of the park as Nana. My not-so-great qualities remain works of progress, buoyed by her promise that the fruits of my parenting labor will really come through as a grandparent.

My mom listens without giving advice, remembers how brutal the day-to-day of raising kids is and is always there with a hug or a spot on text message with just the right use of, and number of, emojis. She is kind, fair and loves chocolate almost as much as I do.

Most importantly, she knows how to make you feel like every day is your birthday and you deserve all the celebrations. So on your birthday today Vickie Traber, I hope you have the best day available to you as my Pantsuit Politics ladies would say, filled with M&Ms, text messages, songs, alone time and feeling the same kind of love that you felt about pregnancy (which may be one of the few things we disagree on; I just don’t get it. Nine months of discomfort and exhaustion?!).

Happy birthday Mom! Here’s to a less eventful and more healthy year around the sun!