I know Mother's Day is around the corner and I've been thinking a lot about the roles of mother's in my life, and my role as a mother in my own children's lives.
I have come to the conclusion that motherhood is a farily universival experience. Being a mother has given me more confidence as a human being, and given me confidence that I didn't even know I needed. And not just confidence in who I am, but how I look. I'm definitely not the size I want to be, but I'm not embarrassed. I'm not ashamed of the stretch marks on my body that are the evidence of three of my greatest blessings. My boobs aren't the same (MAJOR BUMMER), my feet aren't the same, my hair is FINALLY growing back from all the hair I lost after Micah, my skin isn't the same, the list goes on. I'm okay with it all. Really. Sometimes. For the most part. Depends on the day. Let's just say...I'm a work in progress. :-)
I have to give a shout out to all the mother's who have helped me mother my children. Some I don't even know. For example, one day when Micah was still pretty new, I was out with all three kids at a local dinosaur museum. Corine had fallen and was screaming, I was holding Micah who had been screaming, and pushing my stroller. A sweet mother whom I had never met came up to me asked me if she could hold Micah so I could tend to and comfort Corine. Whoever you are, thank you. I hope we can all step up into that role of mothering when we see another mother in need.
And can I just be honest--I have one of "those kids" who's naughty in public, doesn't "listen" aka obey very well, throws tantrums, pulls hair, bites, pinches, hits, etc. Thank you for not judging me on how you perceive my parenting because let me tell you, that little kid of mine does not reflect the parenting that she receives in my home. Don't judge other mother's on how their children look or behave. Some kids just come to this earth with some serious personality, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Now let me pay a tribute to my mother and grandmother's. I'm very lucky because I feel like I'm the way that I am as a mother because of some incredible women who have mothered me. I've learned so much from them, and I hope that I can be half the mother to my children that these women were to me.
I love that motherhood has taught me to love someone else so much more than I have ever loved myself. I'm sure many of you mother's know exactly what I'm talking about. At dinner, who eats last? ME. Who is getting up to get this or get that? ME. Who wears clothes that are stained from little fingerprints? ME. Who is a trash disposal? ME. Wiper of bums, wiper away of tears, wiper of noses, kisser of boo boo's? ME, ME, ME. It's a hard job sometimes, but I'm glad that's in my job description, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
I have learned that motherhood is the most selfless act there is. It's a role that helps me relate with women who are fifty years older than me, women who are my age, younger, etc. I'm lucky that motherhood has opened the door for friendships that I might not have had.
I'm grateful to be a mother. I'm thankful for the women that have set examples for me over the years and you had no idea I was watching. Mother's of friends, mother's of children I babysat. I'm very lucky that I learned from the best.
Happy early Mother's Day to you all, and if you don't have children of your own yet, keep mothering those children you come in contact with.
Love to you all.
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