May 8, 2011

Mother`s Day

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

Mama & Hudson on his birth day
This will be my first Mother`s Day as a mom and I am more honoured to be mom to my beautiful son than I could have ever imagined. I also couldn`t have imagined how having my own child would make me appreciate my own mother so much more than I already did.

My mother has always held a special place in my heart and is loved beyond belief - even if I`ve not always shown it (aka the teenage years). My mother raised my sister and I as a single mom for many years and did a darn good amazing job, if I might say so myself. Only as an adult could I appreciate what she must have sacrificed for us over the years. We wanted for nothing, least of all love and kisses and hugs. I always felt special. I always felt I could do and be whatever I wanted. I always knew that no matter what I did, no matter what happened, I could count on my mom. Of all the people in my life, I knew she was the one I could turn to with my successes and my challenges. She was, is, the best mom.

Mom & me, awaiting baby
Now that I have my own son and am a mom myself, I appreciate all that she`s done and all that she does that much more. I wouldn`t have survived the last month as a new mom without her - or at least not made it through with my sanity in tact. From being with me at the hospital while in labour to being here with our new family those first couple of weeks at home to taking me home with her for a few days and letting me get some much-needed sleep to supporting me through the very difficult transition from breast to formula feeding, my mom made becoming a mom easier. As always she sacrificed - her time, her sleep, her vacation days, and her own needs - for me. For that, I love her and thank her with all my heart.

My mom + my son = love at first sight
Mothers are the special people in our lives we can count on no matter what. They are the ones that love us, hold us, teach us, push us, inspire and encourage us to grow and be true to ourselves. They selflessly and willingly change diapers, wipe noses, kissed skinned knees, wash load after load of laundry, eat cold toast and drink cold coffee, mend broken hearts, and play second fiddle to their children.

I now, almost suddenly, find myself willing to do all that, give all that, and more for my son. It is true, with his birth came mine as a mother. For that, I am grateful to God. I am blessed with this new role in life and even more blessed to have my mother`s example to go by. If I am half as wonderful a mother to Hudson as my mom was to me, I`ll have succeeded as a mom.

A favourite photo of mom & me.
I love you mom.

Happy Mother`s Day.

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