The Name is Mom ~ I love the name

Many times over my journey as a mom I've considered, deeply, the way the first days of motherhood changed me. I didn't care about anything except: the baby. Was he awake? Was he asleep? Was he hungry? What does he look like now? Is he really mine? Should I change his outfit? Will he be cold if I take him out? Does he like the Baby Bjorn? Is he hungry? Where did he come from? How did I get to be this person?

My interior world had many rooms. Believer. Wife. Advertising Gal. Shopper. Traveler. Granddaughter. Daughter. Sister. But a week or two after the little stranger moved into my life, I figured it out. I loved this room best. The mom room. The one with the daddy, and the delicious little boy. Most of life came fairly easy. I had a good eater and sleeper. A couple of months into motherhood, I was introduced to a group of fabulous friends, seven other moms with their firstborns too. The days were mostly lovely and simple and full of magical discovery.

I struggled a bit when, after a long, long leave of absence, I went back to work. It lasted a month and I knew I had to leave. The tug on my heart was too heavy. Somehow, my boss, the owner of the firm, made a compelling argument for a three day work week. My little guy and I worked out a way. He spent those days with a mom from my group, a wonderful woman with a girl two days older than my guy. She was hoping to care for one other child.

It worked for a while. Three days of work and four days being a staying mostly at home mommie.
We wandered the neighborhoods near our apartment on the beach. Spent time at the park, the beach, and home. Contentment reigned. Time moved on and we moved into a house, had baby sister join us, changed jobs, started school, etc.

The Mom Room became bigger, not quite as simple, but remains my favorite. Here is where I learn the most, feel the most, change the most. I see parts of my own mom, my sister, my Mother's Group gals, my neighbors, grandmas and the like in the shape of my parenting. Maybe it's that motherhood demands such action and reaction that you grow here or else. And, this isn't to say my life isn't full of growing and learning and changing in all the other dimensions. My life is full. But being a mom effects everything I am and everything I do and for that I am and will be eternally grateful.

Thanks to all who participated in celebrating Mom.