1.) Happy almost Mother’s Day! Share a parenting moment where you really began to realize what this mothering thing is all about.
The first memory that popped into my head was from 19 years ago. Michael was only about 2 months old at the time and had caught a bad cold and had a cough. I took him to the doctor. He considered hospitalizing him but the chest x-ray was clear, so he just wanted me to keep a close eye on him.
I was young(18) and terrified he would have to go back to the hospital.(Mike had already been to the hospital when he was a week old because his bilirubin levels were too high. My inexperience as a mom and his difficulties latching on were the cause. When we tell that story now his siblings always tease him and say he couldn't figure out how to nurse!)
I was so worried that he would stop breathing or his cough would get worse. I remember laying on the couch propped up at night to sleep with Mike laying on my chest so I could feel him breathing. The vaporizer was set up a couple of feet away.
I certainly didn't get a lot of sleep for a couple of nights....but it didn't matter. All that did matter was that Michael was safe and cared for!
That's what mothering is all about...doing our best to love and care for our children. With a house full of children I have had lots of mothering opportunities. I have not always made the most of those opportunities! Sometimes the sleep deprivation or the busy schedule or the overwhelming to-do list chips away at my patience and I am not the loving, caring mom I want to be. Even those moments that are not so bright(i.e. Mom has lost her mind again...run for cover!) can be turned into a teachable moment in how to apologize and ask forgiveness when you don't act the way you should!
For the record, I believe all the mothers that have told me that you never stop worrying about your children and that, as they get older, the worries get bigger!(DRIVING!!!shudder, shudder!)
Even though sometimes(read: often) they drive me crazy, I would not choose any other life besides my own!
