Happy Mother's Day

I had a pretty perfect day today. John woke up with the baby, took her out of the house and returned an hour later with a gourmet breakfast, my favorite coffee, fresh flowers, 2 beautiful and thoughtful cards, and an awesome gift from one of my favorite stores. The weather was gorgeous so we got to eat outside and just enjoy a nice relaxing morning and afternoon. It was really perfect and I'm so grateful to have such a happy little family to spend each day with. I know how lucky I am.

I've been thinking about this Mother's Day post a lot. There's just so much to say! I remember an hour or two after Sylvie's birth, just hanging around the recovery room with my doula while John was with Sylvie at the nursery, and I couldn't stop thinking about what an intense experience I had just been through. I realized at that moment that every single mother walking the face of the earth was a superstar. That we are all so strong and capable and amazing in our shared experience of childbirth, that every single one of us that has been through it deserves so much respect and honoring. I just remember feeling like OH MY GOD I had no idea. I had no idea that mothers everywhere have gone through this, have been this transformed, have given themselves over completely and utterly to the rite of passage that is childbirth. Heavy stuff man. But seriously, I felt like a rock star and like I wanted to kiss and hug and give gratitude to every woman that had been through it before. What I didn't realize then, and still amazes me today, is that childbirth is literally the very small beginning of the whole parenting journey, and the path to becoming a mother. What seemed so huge to me then is in some ways a distant memory, such a small part of what makes me a mother. The hurdles of breast feeding alone were enough to make childbirth seem like a walk in the park, not to mention the baby blues, the sleep deprivation, the fear and vulnerability that comes along with being responsible for another (helpless) human being. Learning the limits of my patience when dealing with a strong willed toddler and learning to humble myself and apologize to her when that patience isn't enough. Learning to let go a little each day as she grows and learns so many things and becomes more and more independent and less reliant on me ("No Mommy, you not hold my hand. I do it myself.") And I'm sure that for many of you reading this you're chuckling at the thought of all the things I still have to learn and all the ways I'm still going to grow and become more of a mother than I am today. It's the most exhilarating, exhausting and breathtaking thing I've ever been involved with. I am so overwhelmed by my love for Sylvie and the joy she's brought to my life.

And I think for the first time ever I really sorta get how important this holiday is. To the women in my life, my mother, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, best friends, and especially my beautiful daughter Sylvie, I love you all.