Dear Mother…
As you embark upon your first year of motherhood, I want to share with you some thoughts—all right, and some advice, I admit it—based on my own journey through those first twelve months, so recently completed. It is incredible to me, after the agonizing slowness of those first days at home, that the rest of the time has gone by so quickly. Alex’s habits, preferences and routines are now an integral part of our household—not the center, but one side of an equilateral triangle whose center is the stuff a family is made of. Yet I do remember what life was like before he came—and what it was like to be brand new to this state of life called “motherhood.” …(Read more)
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Note: This letter was originally written for my younger sister on the occasion of the birth of her daughter, Eva, in 2006, shortly after Alex celebrated his first birthday. For the next two years, I altered it for every family birth, and in 2009, my editor at Family Foundations, Christina Capecchi, published it. Now I leave it in its current form for any mother who stumbles across it. God bless you all.
What a beautiful letter! I love this line: “He is the part of you that you never knew was missing.” And I wholeheartedly agree that having kids has made me more productive.
Thanks for stopping by my blog & for your comments!
Lovely. I especially like what you said about treasuring nighttime parenting. It’s easy to get caught up in the negative about missing sleep, but you’re right -it is a very special time!
[...] different than being Alex’s or Nicholas’s mom. Becoming Alex’s mom made me part of “the club”. Becoming Nicholas’s mom meant that I had to learn “zone defense,” as Christian [...]
Oh, this is lovely. Though my youngest is only 18 months, that time seems very long ago!
hiya. thank you for coming by my blog AND commenting.
it gave me the opportunity to visit you and read this touching letter.
i’m not a mother.. but as a nonmother, i have to tell you this gave me goosebumps. here’s hoping that i get to experience what you wrote about in my lifetime!
this was beautiful…as a mom of three, I totally get it.
Did you know that “Chicken Soup for the Soul” is looking for submissions for their new book for new mothers? I think if you go to their website they have info about it…in case you’re looking for another place to publish some work.
Alysia
http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com
Thanks, Alysia. Yes, indeed, I did know @ that one; I already sent them something. (Crossing my fingers!)