Since the birth of my baby girl I have learned that motherhood is everything I expected, and nothing I expected all at once.
It was the end of the "me" I have always known. It was the end of fun jewelry. It was the end of deep sleeping. It was the end of pre-pregnancy clothes (for a while at least). It was the end of eating supper in peace and having a clean house. It was the end of being on time... Ever!!!!!
But it was the beginning of being a hero to one little girl. It was the beginning of a little best buddy. It was the beginning of raspberry kisses, and afternoons on quilts in the sun, a personal crossfit cheerleader, and a breakfast chatterbox. It was the beginning of gummy grins and crocodile tears only I can fix. It was the beginning of bedtime stories and bathtub splashes, midnight snuggles and sprouts!
And still, 9 months and 6 days later --I look at my sweet Whit every day and my heart wants to burst wide open- I love her that much! And every single time I think, "there is just no way my parents could have loved me this much". But they did! Talk about being humbled. And not only do my parents love me this much- my grandparents do too. And now they all love Whitlee that much! Talk about a long line of love!
I am thankful for each of the mom's in my life that have shaped me, I was lucky enough to know all but one of my great-grandmothers and spend ample amount of time with my Mimi and Nana growing up. Each of them played a huge role in shaping who I am today. Mimi was a list maker-check check. Nana was creative- check check. Mimi loved to read- check check. Nana loved to be outside- check check.... The list of traits I see handed down is endless.
And then there is my mom.... The person I call/text almost daily since becoming a mommy to ask questions. The one I frequently have talk me through cooking veggies (the good way- that you don't find in a cookbook). The one who takes my daughter at night when we visit so I can sleep all night, deeply, without hearing each little stir Whit makes. She's a teacher-check check; a crafter- check, check; a cook- check check; a lover of suspenseful tv (SVU/Criminal Minds)- check, check; a believer in pj days every now and then- check, check...
So many of the traditions I have started with Whitlee, the songs I sing, faces I make, clothes I dress her in are a result of these 3 ladies! For them I am ever grateful that God saw fit to let me learn from their love.
And then there is my Mother-in-Law. She is a proud Grandma to her first granddaughter and the amazing mom to a wonderful man. I'm not sure what her magic trick is but the day we bring home a son, she will be our indispensable source of knowledge. She raised a selfless, loving man that remains even-keeled and unruffled ALWAYS! A man that can't wait to snuggle his baby girl in the afternoons and proudly shows her off. A man that makes it possible for me to focus on raising our little girl. He makes Motherhood work!
