Bug,  Family Matters,  Tis the Season

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 10, 2008 /

glamour shot

I am agreeing with my old friend Nicole that mother’s day is not just a day but a weekend. I didn’t mean it to be this way but since it is just Baby Bug and I and I can do whatever I want (since I’m the boss afterall) we made it that way. Really, every day has been mother’s day.

When I think about mother’s day, so many days come flooding to my memory. Those mornings that my brother and I would get up super early and sneak out of the house to steal dewy sweetpeas from our neighbor’s yard so we could put them in a vase and surprise my mom. Those many crafts we made at school… the years we forgot, the years we remembered and then as we got older how we over-compensated for the years we forgot with super-expensive gift certificates to the spa… So many memories.

I think the day I most remember of all my mothering days was that second day in the hospital. The late morning after she was born. Toby had gone home to sleep after staying up all night long and it was just me and her. The nurses were gone. I picked up my camera and took this picture:

Baby Bug

I’m so glad Baby Bug was born in the digital age. I’m so glad I’m the kind of girl who has her camera handy at all times. I don’t think if I was still shooting film, with my big fat lens, I would have even brought it to the hospital. I know I wouldn’t have stuck it in her face. But my digital camera is small, so small I thought nothing of digging it out of my purse and documenting this wonder that I held tangible in my arms for the first time in my life.

I don’t mean to be selfish and push Toby out of this moment but it truly was the most beautiful moment in my entire life. It was just me and her and I knew the rest of my life was never ever going to be the same. I remember everything. I remember those flowers that my in-laws sent. I remember the view out the hospital window. I remember staring at her until I thought my eyes would break. It was the most precious of times. When I talk to expectant mothers now, I try and try to explain what that day was like for me but my words fall short.

I think that was the best mother’s day of my life.

and then we ate them all up!

That doesn’t mean I’m not going to try and live up every other mother’s day in my life. Oh no! We are going to pull out all the stops and have a whole weekend of mother’s day stuff. Like chocolate pancakes for breakfast and picking flowers from our neighbor’s yard. Painting all day and then pizza for dinner! And that was only Saturday! I have no idea what we’ll be doing Sunday.

pizza for dinner

Happy Mother’s Day everybody! Go give your mom a hug!

21 Comments

  • jo

    May 11, 2008 at 1:15 am

    Happy Mothers’ Day! Indeed my life changed the minute my boy came out of my belly. (I don’t know how else to say it!) and when I first laid eyes on him, I burst into tears at the miracle God made. I knew my life was going to be different in the most wonderful way from then on.

    Have an awesome Sunday too! Maybe waffles and ice cream for breakfast? heehee…

  • Gingermog

    May 11, 2008 at 3:16 am

    Another food for thought post. Happy Mother’s weekend to all American mommies. For some reason in the UK we have our’s in March which usually co-incides with my mother’s birthday. I think the best ones for her have been when my 3 sisters and I have secretly driven home together from our respective cities and as if by magic appeared on her doorstep.

  • LVGurl

    May 11, 2008 at 7:12 am

    What a wonderful, sweet post! I know how you feel…

    I love all the pictures of Baby Bug, it is obvious how much fun the two of you have together each day. She’s your little buddy!

    Happy Mother’s Day, Brenda! :)

  • Island Mummy

    May 11, 2008 at 8:40 am

    Happy Mothers Day!

    I hope you have a wonderful day today with your beautiful girl!
    I also remember the joy of just holding my daughter and looking at her, I couldn’t believe that we had made this wondrous child!

    I have another one growing inside me this Mother’s Day, and a smart, funny, beautiful, amazing toddler too. My cup truly runneth over.

    You are an amazing Mum and you inspire us and share your joy with us (and your sorrow).

  • Pam Holley

    May 11, 2008 at 11:36 am

    you always manage to make me cry when you talk about the special bond you and baby bug share but this one got me more than usual, i didn’t just tear up, i literally cried, i just wanted to tell you that i think you are an amazing mother, from the perspective of a daughter, this will mean so much to bug one day, i think you should print this and put it in a scrapbook and share it with her one day when she’s older

  • Calee

    May 11, 2008 at 12:34 pm

    Happy Mother’s Day! My little one is almost exactly a year younger than Baby Bug and we had an absolutely horrible 1st Mother’s Day (in the ER- yuck!) but this one is shaping up better.
    I love the idea of a Mother’s Weekend instead of just a day :)

  • BeachMama

    May 12, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    Glad you had a fabulous Mother’s Day! I love your second day story. I still stare at my kids, but I know the moment you mean. When Apple was born last fall, my FIL couldn’t understand how I didn’t mind sitting upstairs by myself with just little Apple for two whole days. He couldn’t understand that I wasn’t bored. And truthfully, I wasn’t it was the best two days I had to get to know my new little baby. And to treasure those first few days with her.