Girl’s Life

We had a packed Mother’s Day weekend full of breakfasts for mommy, afternoon teas for Grandma and lunches for Grammy. And although it was busy and we fit a lot in, there were still plenty of moments throughout the weekend when I was reminded that being mom to Sophia pretty much rocks. The job is the biggest, most challenging, most rewarding, scariest, funniest, most important one I’ve ever had. But two small things this weekend put all the hard work of motherhood into perspective.

Chris took me to breakfast Saturday morning to relax and start the mommy celebrations off right. After our meal, we decided to take a little window shopping stroll. For a brief moment between flower-sniffing and repeatedly trying to dart into the street, Sophia decided it would be OK to walk between us holding our hands. When I caught our reflection in a shop window as we walked by, I realized I couldn’t have been happier anywhere than where I was at that moment. I have a daughter who happily holds my hand when we walk down the street. I’m soaking this all in because before I know it she will be talking about boys and makeup and slumber parties. But at that moment, the world was completely and utterly all about mommy and daddy. I think I might have heard the universe sigh happily.

Then last night, Sophia had a hard time staying asleep. She had a huge day playing with her cousin and didn’t get a nap. She was over-tired, and this was affecting her in traumatic ways. She woke up scared and couldn’t stop crying. I held her, rocked her, sang to her and whispered over and over that everything was going to be alright. After trying fruitlessly to get her back to sleep by rocking in her chair or pacing around the room, I knew only one thing would do the trick. I brought her, still crying, into our bedroom and laid down next to her on our bed. She rolled herself into a little ball in my side and calmed a little. But when that wasn’t making her feel safe enough, she lifted her head and laid it down on my cheek, using me as her human pillow. As I laid there with my cheeks squished against my now-sleeping girl’s tear-stained face, I had to laugh a little thinking about how funny and wonderful that whole scene must have looked. And how funny and wonderful this whole 20-month rollercoaster of motherhood has been.

Hope all you mothers were able to kick up your feet a bit this weekend and just marinate in your awesome motherness. Happy Mother’s Day to my own wonderful mom and to all of you!