Being Mom

I have three unique & special children.  They each of their own personalities, likes & dislikes, struggles & victories.  Because of this I’m required to be three moms in one package.  I have the same hopes for each child- to be happy & successful in all they do; to try their best; to be kind to others & so on.  But I’m finding that as they get older I have different expectations for each of them & I approach each child differently.  Obviously, I have no favorites (I love them each an astronomical amount) & what’s best for them is that I treat them as an individual- like the unique little person God created them to be. 

Being Breena’s Mom…

Has taught me to be more sensitive & offer more hugs & kisses.  Breena is a sensitive little girl.  She doesn’t cry much but her feelings are easily hurt.  She loves snuggles and would be happy if I (she would actually prefer Daddy) cuddled her to sleep every night.  Being Breena’s mom has required me to make tough decisions & question whether or not I’m doing this whole “mommy” thing right.  She’s our first and in many ways she is the guinea pig when it comes to how we choose to parent our kids.  Being Breena’s mom has taught me that even moms make mistakes & have to say they are sorry.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve lost my temper with her & had to apologize for shouting.  I’m fortunate that she is my oldest.  She is eager to help around the house, she’s forgiving of my faults, she is sweet & funny.  Before I was Breena’s mom I just never knew I could love someone so deeply.

Being Eli’s Mom…

Has taught me to be patient & made me courageous.  As an infant Eli required a lot of attention, extra snuggles, & the ability to block out screams for hours upon hours each day.  He needed me & Dave.  Because of this when Eli was just three months old I made the decision to leave the job I had been at for 7 years in order to pursue my own business where I could work hours that allowed me to spend more time with Eli.  It took a lot of courage to take such a risk- I have Eli to thank for that.  Being Eli’s mom has made me relax & not worry so much.  He is a monkey- climbs on everything & gets into everything.  I’ve had to chill out a bit and let him explore his surroundings without constantly nagging him to stop (I step in if it’s dangerous of course).  Being Eli’s mom makes everyday interesting.  His imagination is huge & he uses the entire house when he plays.  He sings silly songs, dances around the living room, takes his pants off at the park, wears my heels- much of the laughter in our house is a direct result of Eli being his silly self.  Before I was Eli’s mom I never realized how magical it is to watch your two children interact & develop a friendship.

Being Toby’s Mom…

Has taught me to slow down & drink in the every ounce of sweetness of watching my babies grow.  Toby is almost one & I swear it was just yesterday that I brought him home from the hospital.  It’s sad that it took the third baby for me to truly enjoy the sleepless nights, a restless baby in my bed, the screams while waiting for a bottle to warm up.  Toby will soon be done with the bottle, often sleeps 12 solid hours at night, very rarely snuggles with me.  In fact my favorite part of the day is when Toby wakes from his afternoon nap & sits still on my lap for 5 minutes.  I love smelling his freshly washed/lotioned skin after a bath.  I love his toothless, mouth-wide-open kisses.  His position as the last baby in our family suits his personality- he is easy going, loves watching his siblings play & loves it even more when the play with him.  One year ago he was in my tummy & today he climbed up the slide all by himself at the park.  Being Toby’s mom reminds me to notice & remember to capture a memory of the small things everyday.  Before being Toby’s mom I never dreamed my heart would be so full. 

 

The days seem to fly by now.  Our kids are at such fun ages- I genuinely enjoy spending every minute I can with them.  This morning we spent two hours at the park- it felt like 20 minutes.  We had so much fun playing games & running around.  When Dave & I got to our honeymoon destination after our wedding the song playing the hotel lobby was “The Best is Yet to Come”.  How very true.  These are some great times.  Being Breena’s Mom, Eli’s Mom & Toby’s Mom is a title I wear proudly & with a great deal of gratitude.