Today is Mother's Day; my first, actually! Pictured is my first Mother's Day gift - a lovely gesture from my daughter and husband.
According to many online dictionaries, the term "mother" is defined as, "a female parent". While this may be true in the simplest terms, being a mother, a mom, is so much more.
When my daughter was born, it was the most amazing experience of my life. You are instantly in love with this tiny human that has been growing inside of you for the past 9 months. It's a different kind of love than you have during pregnancy; it is immediate, uncontrollable, all encompassing, and deeper than any love you have ever felt in your life. To be honest, the experience is also a little scary. For 9 months your body is on "autopilot" (a term used by a friend of mine which I found to be pretty accurate), and then you're suddenly in charge of taking care of an infant! Some days you wonder how and if you can do it... at least that's how I felt (often).
I'm so grateful, though, to be surrounded by some of the most amazing people. My husband was much more confident at caring for our daughter than I was for the first weeks. I went through a few weeks of the baby blues, and truly believe I could not have done it without him. He took on most of the duties while I slept, nursed, healed, and cried a lot. It all felt really overwhelming, but he was there for me.
My own mother was another godsend during this time. She has always been supportive, loving, and patient. It is hard to express the breadth of my admiration and love for my mother. During our daughter's first few weeks, my mom stayed awake with me in the middle of the night to help me nurse while my husband rested, and other times she took over complete care of her granddaughter so my husband and I could get some much-needed sleep.
We were also blessed to have my husband's mother visiting daily. Another woman for whom I have the utmost respect and love. My mother-in-law would sit with her granddaughter in her arms for hours while she napped. She took a lot of weight off of our shoulders during the day while she was in town.
It has been eleven months since my daughter was born and I cannot remember what life was like before her. It all works out... you take things day by day, as they come, and you eventually figure it out. It's less about being perfect, and more about being present.
I hope that I can be a mom like the strong women who have influenced my life and the life of my husband. I pray that my daughter knows nothing but love, support, and patience from me as we move through this crazy-beautiful world together.
I am truly honored and blessed by this gift of motherhood and enjoying my very first Mother's Day.
