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A mom is a mom is a mom no matter the species.

We may not take notice, but the proof is all around us.

This past spring, it took me about 15 minutes to make any headway down our driveway because of a frantic killdeer who was herding her newly hatched chicks into the grass.

She would no sooner round up one or two young ones and nestle them into the confines of their nest than the other two would pop out and scramble under my idling mom-wagon.

Afraid to drive into the grass and chance smushing a baby bird, I waited patiently, as the poor mother screeched at and scolded her naive children — much like a human mother would chase her children from the path of a moving car. I had to call for backup and have my father come over and chase the family of birds from the path of my vehicle.

Sadly, just the next day we found that our Labrador retriever, using her instinct to "retrieve," had wreaked havoc on the young family. The babies, we assume, had all become a snack.

Explaining to our boys exactly what had happened to the baby birds who skittered about just the night before was awkward.

On the off-chance that maybe our little beaked buddies had, in fact, earned their feathers, we told the boys they had "flown the coop."

Couldn't let the dog take the heat from two tots who already had knocked her down a few pegs on the totem pole.

The rest of the week, we drove slowly down our driveway watching the mother and father birds (yes, Dad, too) run laps around the yard and up and down the driveway, flapping their wings and crying for their babies.

Heartbreaking, really. We felt for our feathered friends who had taken up residence at our home.

I also took note, just this past Beggar's Night, that (human) moms (me, included) don't take a break from being "Mom," even on special occasions.

The few kids who made their way down our exceptionally long driveway were rewarded with multiple goodies.

I laughed as I heard moms chastising their children for not using their manners. "Did you say thank you? I didn't hear you. Say it again."

While I appreciate their concern for politeness (my personal pet peeve is a mannerless child) in this case, I wasn't too worried about Dracula showing his appreciation for a chocolate bar.

He said, "Trick-or-treat." That works, too. The kids are excited and rushing around, so let's just have some fun.

Of course, then I wondered if my Ninja Turtle and Buzz Lightyear were saying their thank you's while traipsing around the neighborhood with Daddy.

Soon after, I spent just seven hours away from home attending a conference. Naturally, I couldn't go without calling home to check in.

"Did they sit still for their haircuts? Are they taking a nap? Everything OK?"

No matter how wonderful they are, and in our house we are blessed, Mommy will always worry about Daddy being in charge — and for good reason.

"You went to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch?!"

(Sigh.) Enough said.