However, I did major in Family Life Education - studying what makes a marriage work and the best way to teach responsibility to a three-year-old. I read the whole What to Expect series - as well as everything from Dr. Spock to Bill Cosby. Forty-some books grace my shelves on child-rearing; countless more have crossed my desk.
I read about the pros and cons of pacifiers, flourinated water and breastfeeding. I can recite the 'thou shalt nots' of teaching a child to sleep through the night. Time-outs are not a stranger; Withdrawing Privleges, I know thy name.
But nothing - NOTHING - could have prepared me for this.
No one told me about having 'my heart permanently walking around outside my body.' No one could exactly explain the pride in my children's accomplishments; the feeling of a soft, little hand in mine. The way that my baby fits under my chin, our breath in sync and my skin just melting into his. Words fail to describe the joy of teaching, playing, and just being mother-and-child.
Nope, no one has been able to express that love that I feel when I look into those deep blue eyes.
Except, of course, my own mother.
I
Love
You
+254.jpg)
18 comments:
Happy Mother's Day, Rebecca!
Yes, Happy Mother's Day. I've been a mom for 3 years and have 3 kids...but it only took one heartbeat to be instantly transformed into a Mother Heart!
I heard once that becoming a mother and sending a child to school is like taking your heart out of your chest, putting arms and legs on it, and then watching it walk off.
Love the video of LP singing with his class. That's enough to make any mom shed a few tears.
Happy Mothers Day BEX!
I would be really interested in some of those books. I've been in the game nearly 22 years, and have exactly zero books on the subject. Maybe this is why I feel like I'm still just making it up as I go along!
Love that feeling of a baby fitting under your chin. When your own baby is a teenager, you actually go looking for rental babies just to have a few minutes of that furry little head up against your neck. It's very primal. Plus they smell good.
Lots of interesting ideas in the books to choose from, certainly. Some are on the side of "if you do everything right you can mold them into exactly who you want them to be", and others on the side of "just love them, and that is all they need...don't push them too hard or they will rebel."
I think the answers for parenting come more from quiet places inside. I love the scripture in 1 Kings 19:12 -- "And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."
I've read the books too, and in the end, the answers aren't in them...but the still small voice is a better guide to parenting than any book.
I love holding my babies and having them close. So much so that I could keep having babies indefinetly. Someone told me that this yearning stops when your oldest becomes a teenager; mine is 11. I could probably fit one more baby in before all you-know-what breaks loose.
Yeah, mommyhood definately has it's perks.
I hope you had a fantastic day.
Hope you had lots of time to stare into little-boy eyes today.
this is such a sweet post. happy mogther's day to you! hope you had a great one.
I hope you had a great one. This was so cute and sincere.
This is beautiful :) And I think your pretty close to an expert.
So beautifully written. Just loved it.
Hope your's was a happy one.
I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day! I loved that little video clip. How adorable!
I wish I had something wonderful and witty to say, but you have expressed it all so well. Plus I can't type much because of the tears streaming down my face - even now - again- my third time reading this. I love you beyond words.
Once again your ability to put my own feelings into words completely floors me. Beautiful.
That video was cute how LP covered his ears when everyone started clapping.
Those poor kids had to sing so L O W they couldn't even do it! Tell that teacher the kids need to sing higher! (just kiddin, don't tell her, that wouldn't be nice. but it's true.)
Love you. Srsly. :)
Your kids must feel so loved! What a good momy, and daughter you are. Happy Mother's Day to you, too.
Post a Comment