I have always known that I had one awesome childhood; full of games, laughter, friends, books, and memories that will last the rest of my life.

I was close with my sibling and with my parents. I was friends with them all, and I always just assumed it was because I was of the simple fact that my childhood was great, I grew up in a great neighborhood, where everyone was friends, there were kids galore to play with, and it was just the best time of any ones life.

I knew my parents were amazing and they made my life as fun and memorable as they could, but it wasn't until recently that I realized that my mom is a very prominent factor is my childhood being so fantastic.

She never worked while we were growing up, not until we were all in school and a bit older. But her job was a full-time stay at home mom, one of the most challenging, rewarding, and thankless jobs out there.

So, here I am, thanking my mom for sacrificing so many of her years to stay home with my siblings and I; raising us, taking care of us, becoming our friend, and allowing us to have to most amazing childhood anyone could ask for.

Thank you, mom, for being the mother you decided to be. Because of you, I will forever have amazing memories from my childhood and I will always want to be the type of mother you are to my kids. I will strive to be as amazing as you are but I know I will never achieve that.

You sat on the floor with us, playing dolls and board games, teaching us how to be civil youngsters by making us take turns, using our manners, and showing us what being a child is truly about. You put family first and made sure we all were together for special events, and even not so special events, making us have dinner together every night as a family, talking and laughing instead of in front of the TV missing so many moments spending time with each other.

You made sure we spent our childhood how kids should; playing, imagining, and never taking life too seriously, you knew there would be plenty of time for that once we grew up. You always encouraged us to be kids, true kids. We would make up games and stories, play endlessly until it was time for bed, you never allowed us to spend too much time inside or in front of the TV and for that, I thank you.

I want to thank you for all the traditions you made sure happened every year; our personal snow day, reading our favorite book at Christmas, cutting down a tree and decorating it as a family. It is these traditions that brought our family so close together, we all looked forward to the simplest things and you always made sure they happened, every year.

You would take naps with us, read us book after book, have back rubbing trains and played with our hair. You showed us unconditional love and for that, I thank you. Thank you for endless stories, letting us imagine a world and being a part of it with us. Thank you for letting us be kids, for letting us enjoy a time of carefree bliss. Thank you for taking care of us when we were sick, for sitting on the front porch with me, looking at stars, and making wishes.

Thank you for being the most amazing mom anyone could ask for. Because of you and your dedication to your children, we were raised right, we grew up to be adults who want the best out of life, who work hard but know to still have fun, adults who will hopefully raise kids that same way as you someday, and who will forever be your babies. Thank you mom.