A Tribute to Mommies!

I know I am still 56 days (who's counting) away from little America's due date, and I know that up until now, I've only been a fur mommy, but this year brings me such a different appreciation and admiration on this Mother's Day.  I'm not sure if it's the hormones or the fact that I'm mere weeks away from getting to hold our precious baby girl, but I'm much more nostalgic on this day than any of the previous years.

I'm not sure if it's ironic or intended to be this way, but the past 7.5 months, I've never needed my mom more.  Having a child on your own is the ultimate passage into adulthood and growing up, but somehow I've been MORE dependent.  With a baby on the way, we couldn't be more excited, but it's also so terrifying, and there is a barrage of advice that comes at me from every direction.  Organic vs. non-organic wipes & diapers, glass bottles vs. plastic bottles, breast-feeding vs. formula...I just can't even handle or process the information.  The only solace is in our mothers and my grandmother, because whatever they did must have worked out right - they all made some pretty awesome kids...even if they didn't know that nitrates and unpasteurized cheese are no good during pregnancy!

Our mommies didn't have Amazon Prime or next day delivery from Diapers.com.  Our mommies didn't have an arsenal of blogs to reference for advice.  Our mommies didn't visit message boards on What-to-expect to ask for feedback from strangers.  Our mommies didn't rely on our entertainment to come from iPhones or iPads on airplanes....we had good ol' fashioned coloring books!  How they raised us all without any of those things is remarkable....and admirable.  All of the shortcuts in life that are designed to make life and motherhood easier were not around when we were all babies my friends....and I've never heard one complaint from them about any of that.

Now I don't know how I would have completed my registry (or even started it for that matter) without my fellow mom friends.  I'm so grateful to you all for the recommendations and reviews on the newest and best baby gear.  I admire all of you who have learned to manage having it all.  Starting families, maintaining your fabulous lifestyles, and (most of you) juggling an impossibly busy career.  Sure, I've heard nightmare stories, and I've seen some of my peers after sleepless nights, but I hear more stories of elation and unconditional love despite the rough patches that might pop up along the way. You are all beautiful.  

The past few months, I haven't been able to avoid the comments of predictive nature telling me what I'm going to be like.  "Once you're a mom, you'll be like X" or "when the baby is here, you'll never have time for Y" and "say goodbye to Z."  Yes, all you mommies may be totally right, and I am completely ignorant to they type of mother I'll be when America is born.  But what I do know, is that my husband and I were raised by two of the most beautiful, graceful women who make motherhood look glamorous and absolutely effortless.  So I can only hope to be half the mothers they were to us.  When I think about what kind of mother I want to be, I don't listen to what other people tell me I'll be like, I just pray that I'm even a little like them!

On this Mother's Day, we miss both of our moms.  We'll see them both within the next few weeks, but we're not able to celebrate with them.  Instead, I spent this day folding the tiny laundry from our future daughter's wardrobe.  Socks that are impossibly small, and cardigans that I couldn't even begin to fold because they resemble baby doll sweaters, and blankies that I can't wait to snuggle her in when we're rocking her to sleep.

So while it's impossible to reciprocate or ever give our mothers any gift big enough to thank them for the wonderful lives you gave us,, we hope that we can bring you the next best thing and that is your grand daughter in July!  And even though she's not here yet, I can say that I have a different appreciation for all of you - our own moms and our mommy friends.  Happy Mother's Day to all of you mother's out there and especially the two soon-to-be grandmothers who we just love more than life!  We're eternally grateful and we're sorry for those phases we had when we were giant jerks!  Can't wait to see you both soon!