Today we’re going to take a break and celebrate something other than my wedding. When you’re planning a wedding, it’s SO easy to get all wrapped up in that one event, and it’s nice to take a step back every once in a while and celebrate other things. Because in all honesty, life goes on and your wedding day is just ONE day in the year. There are other important days…
Today is one of my most important days each year. Today is my baby’s birthday. Go ahead and get your tissues out, because I’m already tearing up! That’s fair warning to all of you out there that this one MIGHT tug at your heart strings a little.
My child turns seven today. SEVEN YEARS! Where did the time go? Some days I think back on the time that I’ve been blessed to share with this amazing little person in my life and the days have drug on and on…and other times (like today) looking back on things really shows how time flies. It is true what they say - you can blink and miss things in your life. The really important things, the small things that might not mean much at that point in time, but over the course of seven years really add up.
At this time seven years ago, I was in labor, and just getting ready for my first shot of pain meds. Yeah, I’m not one of those women who wanted to do things all natural. I wanted the drugs…all the way. But little did I know, you have to be so far along before the REALLY good drugs come into play, so about 9ish that morning I took my first shot. And from there on out I was just loopy. It’s not that I don’t remember the event; I didn’t want to be that knocked out. But I would sleep/doze off in between contractions. Friends and family that made it there in time to see this portion of the program got some serious entertainment, let me assure you! Around lunchtime, the doctor decided that I could have my epidural, and from there on out it was pretty easy. Jenna was an easy labor, even if it did last about 14 hours in total. Once I was ready to push, it just took getting me and her in the right position and a couple of good pushes and she was born.
She was so beautiful. A lot of babies that are born not through c-section have mis-shapen heads, as the birthing process is hard on the baby too. Not little CC. Her head was perfectly round, and her coloring was great. She cried out really fast and let her wishes be known immediately. Some things haven’t changed.
But some things have. She no longer crawls into my lap. I can’t hold her in my arms like a baby anymore. And she’s getting to the point where she doesn’t really need me much anymore. She’s always been very decisive about her clothes and what-not, and at 7 years old, I don’t have to help much…maybe just to tie her shoes. Yeah, I’m the mom that buys Velcro because it’s easier on me…so we’ll work on learning to tie our own shoes this year…
She takes her own bath or shower, and really just needs me to check and make sure that she got all the soap out of her hair. She brushes her own teeth, and for the most part, now uses the restroom without my supervision (this is a MILESTONE, let me assure you!). She writes legibly, even if the words are very creatively spelled, and when we drive down the road, she can read the signs that we pass. She reads books to me now, although I still read to her. And she says her own prayers at night, although she likes to have me there with her when she does them. We have a secret huggie and kissie ritual that we do each night at bedtime, and she hardly ever gets in and out bed to resist bedtime like she used to as a toddler.
Looking back on these seven years, there have been so many changes. She is my light, she makes me smile, and almost every decision that I make revolves around her and how that choice might affect her. This is what happens when you have kids, I guess. Your life isn’t your own anymore, and you have someone else that matters more than you do. You buy them clothes before you buy yourself clothes. She gets a toy, even if I can’t justify $6 for a new book to read at the time. I don’t regret that, and I would do it all the same given the same choices. She is everything to me.
A hug from your child can bring a smile to your face and a warm glow in your heart. Hearing “I love you, Mom” from those lips touches you deep inside and you know that at that moment nothing could be more perfect in your life. And I treasure each and every single picture that she draws me, or rocks that she picked up “just for me” on the way home from school…even if I know that my house is over-run with her artwork and school papers and that pile MUST be cleaned out and trimmed down soon.
Having her has been the greatest joy in my life. She gives me purpose, she provides me with direction, and she fills me with tenderness. Yes, there are days that I would pay someone $20 to take her away from just half an hour…but I wouldn’t trade those times either! She is my blessing, my greatest accomplishment, and I am the lucky one to have her in my life.
I hope that one day she and I will have the relationship that my mom and I have. I look forward to being more her friend, and less her mother as she continues to grow older. That doesn’t mean that I look forward to the day when she leaves my house to go out into the world on her own…but with that pain comes a new relationship too. I will always be her mother, but I can also be her friend.
So to all the moms out there, go hug your kids. Or your own mom. Or a niece or nephew as the case may be. Too bad schools are out now, or you could just drive by a random school and stop to hug a few kiddos…of course, if you do that you might get arrested! If you see me, hug me! As happy as I am that this day comes around once a year, I’m still a woman and it doesn’t have to make sense that I cry on her birthday!
I’ll leave you with a picture of little CC with her award for Best Artist that she got during the last few days of school. Isn’t she precious?!?!?
Today is one of my most important days each year. Today is my baby’s birthday. Go ahead and get your tissues out, because I’m already tearing up! That’s fair warning to all of you out there that this one MIGHT tug at your heart strings a little.
My child turns seven today. SEVEN YEARS! Where did the time go? Some days I think back on the time that I’ve been blessed to share with this amazing little person in my life and the days have drug on and on…and other times (like today) looking back on things really shows how time flies. It is true what they say - you can blink and miss things in your life. The really important things, the small things that might not mean much at that point in time, but over the course of seven years really add up.
At this time seven years ago, I was in labor, and just getting ready for my first shot of pain meds. Yeah, I’m not one of those women who wanted to do things all natural. I wanted the drugs…all the way. But little did I know, you have to be so far along before the REALLY good drugs come into play, so about 9ish that morning I took my first shot. And from there on out I was just loopy. It’s not that I don’t remember the event; I didn’t want to be that knocked out. But I would sleep/doze off in between contractions. Friends and family that made it there in time to see this portion of the program got some serious entertainment, let me assure you! Around lunchtime, the doctor decided that I could have my epidural, and from there on out it was pretty easy. Jenna was an easy labor, even if it did last about 14 hours in total. Once I was ready to push, it just took getting me and her in the right position and a couple of good pushes and she was born.
She was so beautiful. A lot of babies that are born not through c-section have mis-shapen heads, as the birthing process is hard on the baby too. Not little CC. Her head was perfectly round, and her coloring was great. She cried out really fast and let her wishes be known immediately. Some things haven’t changed.
But some things have. She no longer crawls into my lap. I can’t hold her in my arms like a baby anymore. And she’s getting to the point where she doesn’t really need me much anymore. She’s always been very decisive about her clothes and what-not, and at 7 years old, I don’t have to help much…maybe just to tie her shoes. Yeah, I’m the mom that buys Velcro because it’s easier on me…so we’ll work on learning to tie our own shoes this year…
She takes her own bath or shower, and really just needs me to check and make sure that she got all the soap out of her hair. She brushes her own teeth, and for the most part, now uses the restroom without my supervision (this is a MILESTONE, let me assure you!). She writes legibly, even if the words are very creatively spelled, and when we drive down the road, she can read the signs that we pass. She reads books to me now, although I still read to her. And she says her own prayers at night, although she likes to have me there with her when she does them. We have a secret huggie and kissie ritual that we do each night at bedtime, and she hardly ever gets in and out bed to resist bedtime like she used to as a toddler.
Looking back on these seven years, there have been so many changes. She is my light, she makes me smile, and almost every decision that I make revolves around her and how that choice might affect her. This is what happens when you have kids, I guess. Your life isn’t your own anymore, and you have someone else that matters more than you do. You buy them clothes before you buy yourself clothes. She gets a toy, even if I can’t justify $6 for a new book to read at the time. I don’t regret that, and I would do it all the same given the same choices. She is everything to me.
A hug from your child can bring a smile to your face and a warm glow in your heart. Hearing “I love you, Mom” from those lips touches you deep inside and you know that at that moment nothing could be more perfect in your life. And I treasure each and every single picture that she draws me, or rocks that she picked up “just for me” on the way home from school…even if I know that my house is over-run with her artwork and school papers and that pile MUST be cleaned out and trimmed down soon.
Having her has been the greatest joy in my life. She gives me purpose, she provides me with direction, and she fills me with tenderness. Yes, there are days that I would pay someone $20 to take her away from just half an hour…but I wouldn’t trade those times either! She is my blessing, my greatest accomplishment, and I am the lucky one to have her in my life.
I hope that one day she and I will have the relationship that my mom and I have. I look forward to being more her friend, and less her mother as she continues to grow older. That doesn’t mean that I look forward to the day when she leaves my house to go out into the world on her own…but with that pain comes a new relationship too. I will always be her mother, but I can also be her friend.
So to all the moms out there, go hug your kids. Or your own mom. Or a niece or nephew as the case may be. Too bad schools are out now, or you could just drive by a random school and stop to hug a few kiddos…of course, if you do that you might get arrested! If you see me, hug me! As happy as I am that this day comes around once a year, I’m still a woman and it doesn’t have to make sense that I cry on her birthday!
I’ll leave you with a picture of little CC with her award for Best Artist that she got during the last few days of school. Isn’t she precious?!?!?
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