They all tried—tried to impart to me the whirlwind of emotions that would come along with the birth of you. I am not going to say they failed. Nevertheless, in retrospect, I will say that no amount of preparation on my part could have readied me for the journey we were embarking on.
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From the moment you surfaced from beneath the waters of the birthing pool in our quaint two-bedroom apartment showcasing your mighty lung power as your father lay you upon my chest, I knew life was spiraling up.
So many people with good intentions gave us a laundry list of do’s and do not’s. From do “make sure you always keep a pacifier with you” to “do not let the baby sleep in your bed or he will never sleep in his crib”. We have heard it all. Granted we did give everything its proper consideration; however, we had to find our balance. Not to mention, you do not like pacifiers and secretly we love having you close to us at night.
Watching you transform before our eyes has been pure magic. There are days when I just sit and smile at you as you army-crawl across the living room floor on a mission to take possession of something you often have no business having. I have watched feed yourself and shed a bittersweet tear because one day you will no longer need me to — every mother's biggest fear I suppose.
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From conquering rolling over to climbing your mountain of books, I am cherishing these moments. With your effervescent smile and rounds of youthful laughter, it is as if every second of my existence has been to be better suited to be your mother. Thus, I welcome the moments we have yet to share, and cling fast to those we have made that are swiftly becoming distant memories.
