Milwaukee area moms celebrate, reflect on second pandemic Mother’s Day

NOW: Milwaukee area moms celebrate, reflect on second pandemic Mother’s Day
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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Last year, Mother’s Day was among the first holidays to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing families to celebrate the holiday indoors, isolated and with uncertainty. This year, as the vaccine effort continues and cases are at lower levels, the holiday looked brighter.

“It’s a beautiful day to celebrate so [we’re] taking full advantage of it,” Cynthia Cisneros told CBS 58. Cisneros was celebrating the holiday with her two-month-old child and husband at a popular brunch spot in Wauwatosa.

“My husband took me to Café Hollander, just for a little brunch, just to celebrate, make a few things a little normal,” Cisneros said.

That sense of normalcy is also felt by restaurants.

“Last year on Mother’s Day we were doing carry-out only, and we were selling a lot of mimosa kits,” Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club General Manager Tyler Nation said in an interview. “But it’s so great to see families out together on Mother’s Day.”

At the Milwaukee County Zoo, moms were able to be admitted for free.

“It was fun,” Janice Obregon of Milwaukee said. “[The children] liked the peacocks and the flamingos the best and it was really good weather today.”

Moms who attended told CBS 58 they spent last year’s Mother’s Day indoors and away from public areas because of the pandemic. This year, they appreciate being able to spend it outside in public.

“A year ago we weren’t able to do that many things you know you were just scared about everything that was happening,” Mindy Grulke of Sun Prairie said. “So now it’s so nice, yes, even though we still have to wear masks but to be able to be out with other people.”

On the city’s north side, Antionette Eiland – a mother of 13 – celebrated the holiday by helping others in her community through a sale of affordable floral arrangements and wreaths. Eiland’s front lawn near 39th Street and Silver Spring Drive was full of arrangements and bouquets people purchased to take home to their mothers or to remember their mothers at cemeteries.

“They ask me to make certain items and I put my all into it and put it together,” Eiland told CBS 58.

Eiland says there’s just as much of an impact for her as there is for the people who purchase the arrangements.

“When someone comes to pick up an arrangement or a wreath I kind of feel like I’m helping them through the grieving process, so yeah it kind of comforts me in the same [way],” Eiland said.

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