Bring on the macaroni necklace

By Published On: February 19th, 2014

There are things I know I’ll love even before I’ve […]

Tonilyn0218There are things I know I’ll love even before I’ve tried them. Things like: white chocolate cheesecake, swimming in the waters of Fiji, or white chocolate cheesecake. There are things I know I won’t love even before I’ve tried them. Things like: skydiving, washing the windows on the Empire State building, or an ALF marathon on TV. Even though I’d never tried having a baby before, I knew I was going to love my new baby. From the first pee-stick test, to the 32nd pee-stick test, to the first ultrasound, my love for this little being grew along with the size of my belly. What remained uncertain to me was if I would LOVE being a mom.
I’ve never been a mom—to a person. Sure, I have three hairy creatures that I am mother to (not counting my husband), but as much as I love them it’s not the same thing. My motherly duties for them consist of making sure they are watered, fed, and stopped from eating the squirrels in the backyard. So, I had no idea what to expect when it came to being a mom to an actual person (not counting my husband). Watching Knocked Up countless times on TBS didn’t really help me prepare for motherhood as much as it helped me prepare for a night of movie watching.
Even through all the advice (wanted and unwanted) and the playing with friends’ kids, being a mom is the only thing that has prepared me for being a mom. And now after almost 9 months (Wow, how did that happen so fast?), I can say without hesitation—I love it.
I love waking up to my baby’s smiling face.
I love embracing him when he falls.
I love making him laugh.
I love watching him grow day by day.
I love taking care of him.
I am loving every second of being a mom because really I am loving being his mom. It’s that love that fuels me (along with copious amounts of caffeine) when I’ve had a night’s sleep like that one time I stayed up all night studying for my music theory exam. (Please don’t ask me what the value of a quarter note is.) Now, I can’t imagine a life without him. He completes our family in a way I never knew possible. He is our family.
So, I say—bring it on! Bring on the first steps, the first words, the first night of real sleep (yes, please bring that), and the first day of Kindergarten. Bring on the finger paints, and handmade popsicle stick frames, and of course that coveted macaroni necklace! I will cherish it and wear it with pride.