The Truth About Motherhood

I searched long and hard for a photo to honor my mother, but the you see, she has so many people she has "mothered" in her life I couldn't find a photo that included us all. So, I settled for this, because her heart is so big.

Ok, ok, you're right. I'm not a Mom. So truthfully, what do I know about it, right? Well, maybe not a lot. In fact, I am pretty sure everything I THINK is true will be totally tossed out the window someday when I have my own. All the things that horrify me now will turn into things I learn to love...............................or, maybe not.

Lets start with the whole pregnant thing. I mean, you basically put your body through this 40 week earthquake. Some women weather it with no problems, some are restricted to their beds (how boring - love you Amber!), some of them vomit the whole time (sorry Mom), some women just trudge through it, maybe not pleasantly, but tolerably. It's an admirable thing what women do when they sacrifice their own bodies to bring life into this world. Admirable, precious, amazing.

So, the pregnancy is over and you have this tiny baby all the sudden. It poops all the time. It eats all the time. Sometimes it cries, sometimes it sleeps, sometimes it gets sick, sometimes it wants held, sometimes it wants rocked, sometimes it wants left alone. Sounds exhausting right? Well, it is. Don't get me wrong. I heart babies. I also know they are A LOT of work. For instance, once there was this baby who after 50 plus hours of labor still wouldn't come out. They had to take that baby's mom in for a C-Section. Then that baby got all fat because her Mom's milk was too much cream. So her Mom had to start milking goats and stuff. Then her Mom had to go through all this trouble because said baby's skin was sensitive and rashy all the time. This particular baby was a pain in the butt (again....sorry, Mom). However, clearly said baby was just so adorable she was easy to put up with.

Then that baby turned into a toddler. A mean toddler. The kind of toddler that kicked shins. Sure that little girl potty trained easy but then she turned into hell on wheels. She started jumping off beds and splitting her lip. She started climbing things she shouldn't have. She grew an attitude and that attitude exuded stubborn (but Mom, we know where that one came from).

Then that baby turned into an awkward and fairly ugly little girl. I mean her Mom would tell you she was beautiful all her life, but lets face it kids - post toddler and pre teen is just an awful time for us. We lose our teeth. We go through bad haircuts, we go through puberity. We just aren't cute in that phase.

So, that little girl turned into a bigger girl, puberty started, and she sort of turned into the spawn of Satan. Ok, maybe not that bad, but lets face it ladies and gents....she was pretty awful. By now, I'm sure you know I am refering to myself. Let me tell you something: I look back on those years and PRAY that I don't have a little girl for fear she might grow up and be as awful as I was in that stage. I don't know how my parents didn't just beat the piss out of me daily. I am not proud. I am quite ashamed, but I am also much more mature, intelligent and kind these days. However, God Bless my mother, my father, my grandmother, my grandfather, any aunts, any cousins....well anyone who got me through that phase of my life.

Then, that girl turned into a teenager and started going to high school. She started costing A LOT of money. You see prom dresses are expensive, as are homecoming dresses, winter formals, spring flings....well, you get the picture. She started costing lots and lots of money. And wanting hair cuts. Make up. Eye Brow waxes. High heeled shoes. New clothes. A computer. College. A new car. A trip for spring break. You get the picture, she was expensive, ok?!

BUT THEN. This one day. She grew-up. She made some awful mistakes and learned some tough life lessons, all the while knowing that when she fell, her mother would be there to pick her up and help fix the broken pieces in just the right way so that she learned her lessons but never came away permanently injured. She remembered as far as back as those early screaming and kicking years all the way through the heartaches of real life choices and the harshness of the world we live in. And she grew up.

This precious little baby girl got married and started into a journey that will someday end with a family of her own. They say it takes a village to raise a child. How true that statement is. I was blessed with so much family as I grew up that there was always extra love. But my Mom, that was unwaivering, unconditional and honest.

Someday, this baby girl will experience what it is to be a mother, to have a mother's love and will probably better understand the love of her own mother. Someday. But not too soon. Because you remember the beginning of this story? You know, where your body goes through hell, the baby cries and poop and the toddler kicks and.....well, you remember.

Happy VERY late but VERY full of love Mother's Day, Mom.