May 10, 2017

10 Moments to Cherish Mother’s Day

Whether you’re a first time mom or a five time mom like myself, the first Mother’s Day after your newborn arrives is a special day to celebrate the days our newborn babies grow to conquer new milestones. Each Mother’s Day is special as our kids grow through their first smiles, steps, first days of school and handmade macaroni necklaces they worked so hard to make with their tiny little hands for Mother’s Day. These are but a sliver of the moments to cherish Mother’s Day as our young ones mature into beautiful young adults.

Although all Mother’s Days are special, one specifically stands out for me; the first Mother’s Day after my preemie was home. I remember sitting in church for the Mother’s Day service with my tiny newborn and it hit me, how lucky was I that I was there with my daughter at that moment. Coming so close to having my daughter too early for survival, I was sitting in that church pew overwhelmed with all the things that might not have been.

Life is good; we are lucky to be on this earth long enough to become mothers or have the opportunity to take on a motherly role. Over the 18 years I’ve been a mother of five children, I’ve learned:

10 Things to Cherish Mother’s Day

All the Firsts – From birth to adulthood, cherish all the firsts your child brings to your life. The first smile, walk, date to the first time your child drives your car, these are all moments stitched into your heart and forever in your memories.
Diaper Changes – Diaper changes are never-ending in the first weeks to years of life and they seem to come at the most inconvenient times but it’s the moments of dependency that remind you how quickly all that changes. As we encourage our children’s independence, we say goodbye to the small things that seem so taxing at the time and before we know it, diaper changes turn into potty training to picking out outfits and forgotten wake-up calls.
Sleep – Sleepless nights come with the territory of a new baby, creating feeding time bonding moments in the first weeks. As moms, our little ones come first but self-care is important and sleep is treasured. Once your baby sleeps longer, you’ll wake more rested and ready for a day of memories to be made.
Help – As your child grows from a helpful toddler underfoot into a teen with slightly lazy tendencies, take all the moments taken for granted and hold them dear. Cherish the moments that drive you crazy with the disguise of a helpful cheery face too small to really help to finding the dishes put away without asking by a moody teen.
Attitude – Though the emotional rollercoaster of a toddler may challenge any mother’s patience, these are teaching moments to be truly grateful for. These are the moments you recognize your tiny human is flourishing into a personality of their own. Although a headstrong independent young lady might be a challenge and there will be struggles, you are the one she will look to as the pillar of strength at her side guiding her to adulthood and that is something to be cherished.
Love – When your little one asks for a hug, a cuddle or a kiss, drop everything and enjoy those moments of pure unfiltered love. Before long, little ones turn into slightly distant teens where it becomes uncool to show affection like they used to. The times my teen asks me to sit or lay with her, hold her hand or give her a hug are few and far between but when they arise, I jump on those moments uninterrupted and my heart full.
Mistakes – Shortly after moms learn of their pregnancy, the planning begins for their parenting style. Things don’t always go to plan; kids are notorious for keeping us on our toes. We learn as we go and parenting mistakes are made. The best part of parenting comes when our little humans make their own mistakes and we have the opportunity to teach from our own experiences or allow our children to learn from their mistakes. We can look back on these moments with laughter, love and pride.
Questions – Around the time of budding independence, your little one will go through periods of inquisitive curiosity. Anyone who has a child asking question after question about the same subject knows how tiring this can get; their minds are like a sponge soaking up all the wisdom they can gain from their moms. Enjoy the beauty of their developing minds by answer the call to questions by guiding, teaching and invoking.
Phone Calls & Talks – Appreciate every phone for a forgotten lunch, a school sickness, cry on your shoulder or late night call needing a ride from a party. Each and every one of these calls is a teaching moment and moment where you can be proud you have guided your child to land at their safe place, you, and trust that you will learn something from them too.
Time – As the first weeks of a newborn turn into a blur of months, you soon realize that the time with children in your home is limited. Before long, your kids are grown and moving onto a family of their own. Moms, this is to be celebrated as a job well done but before that time is gone, cherish the time with your babies, make time and allow yourself to be in the moment with undivided attention.