Happy Mother’s Day!! This special holiday was established just a little over 100 years ago in 1914. But did you know that celebrations of mamas and motherhood can be traced back to as early as ancient Greek and Roman times? A little bit of history to start your day off!
Being the nostalgic person that I am, I just looked back on the post I wrote this time last year around Mother’s Day. I shared five ways motherhood has changed me as a new mom. Annie was only four months old at the time! Wow was I a total newbie to the whole motherhood thing. A full year later, I’m feeling like I actually have the hang of this thing. (But some days not so much.) So today, I wanted to share five ways motherhood has changed me now that I have a toddler. Because let’s be honest, toddlerhood has rocked my world!
PS: I’m also spilling the deets on Evereve’s special Mother’s Day Sale below too!
Before I delve into the topic of the day, I wanted to share outfit details with you all! This off-the-shoulder striped dress of mine is from Evereve. The Vince Camuto shoes are too (& as comfy as can be!) I’ve mentioned a time or two how much I love love love shopping at Evereve. The clothes are thoughtfully picked with moms in mind. And the in-store experience can’t be beat. There is goldfish for the kiddos and toys galore to entertain while moms shop! Annie seriously didn’t want to leave the store. To celebrate Mother’s Day, Evereve is having a huge sale on everything on the site! (Including my dress, this dress from yesterday’s post + my shoes too!)
Shop the Look:
Oh Annie girl, if only you could comprehend how much I love you!! There really is nothing like a mother’s love and I am so thankful that I was given this sweet little girl to share that love with. As of today, Annie has been in our lives for 478 days. I’ve been molded and shaped into almost an entirely new person in those 478 days so much so that I’m not sure I would even recognize myself before motherhood. I mean, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration but motherhood has changed me oh-so-much and I’m sharing how below.
I’ve become even more laid back and rolling with the (literal) punches is my way of life.
Surviving on little sleep is a way of life now. (Waking up at 5:15 sometimes is the MOST fun!?) Making sure that I eat when Annie eats is my new normal. (If she sees me snacking when she doesn’t have a snack ….. it’s trouble!) Cuddling with my kiddo in bed only to be jabbed in the eye by her elbow and pretending like it didn’t hurt like $@! makes me always feel like an Academy Award winning actress. If Annie isn’t going down for a nap and I have a billion things that need to get done & deadlines to meet, I somehow make it work. Also, not having childcare and taking my daughter with me everywhere makes for a lot of interesting experiences to say the least.
But each and everyday I put a smile on my face and say “Let’s do this!” in my head. Because I honestly have no idea what to expect & how the day is actually going to go when I wake up. Are we going to get TWO great naps and be in the most fabulous moods ever!? Are we going to take no naps, be angry and drop a box full of raspberries at the grocery – just maybe? Being laid back, flexible and ready for anything has made all the difference in the way I approach motherhood & life in general these days, and it certainly has paid off.
The smallest moments mean the most.
I could sit and watch Annie stack blocks and shuffle various toys around for hours. I’m just as thoroughly entertained as she is! Her little smiles, mannerisms and zest for life stop me in my tracks sometimes. When Patrick is home, the two of us will sit with her and watch her play. Annie is blissfully unaware that we’re soaking in her every move & when she makes a cute face or says a funny word Patrick and I will both just look at each other and smile. Those moments are hands down my favorite part of motherhood.
I’ve never appreciated a hot shower (by myself) more.
With how busy life can be, most of the time I’ll take a shower in the mornings and set up Annie’s bath mat & toys and have her play in the tub at the foot of the shower. By the time I’m finished shampooing & conditioning, I kneel down and give Annie her proper bath. Kills two birds with one stone right? We’re both clean & fresh and ready to start the day.
But man oh man, those showers that I do get to have all by myself (whether it’s when Annie is asleep or Patrick is home) are such a treat. Never did I think that slowly shampooing my hair or stopping to just stand under the hot water stream for a moment could be so enjoyable. I also feel like the shower is kind of an escape so to speak, like going to your own personal spa. That is – when you know your child is being looked after and you’re given 15 minutes all to yourself! It’s bliss! Other mamas, tell me you can relate?!
Having a mom tribe has become key to my sanity & growth as a mom.
I get together with a group of other moms almost every week when we are in town. Many of these girls I’ve met through blogging and are in very similar stages of life. Others I have known for years now and we happened to have kids close in age and it has bonded us more than ever before. Getting together with these mamas and their kiddos so often ranks high up there on the best of what motherhood has brought me.
We not only get together to socialize ourselves but our kids play together too. We often eat outside and visit a park, zoo or museum after our lunches together. These weekly meet-ups provide exposure to new foods, sights and sounds for our children (along with endless entertainment) and gives us mamas a chance to talk, sometimes vent, ask questions and feel like grown ups again.
Several of my friends have children a bit older than Annie and not a visit with them goes by that I don’t ask them advice about something or other. The other day I even asked my friend Dawn for tips on how to handle toddler tantrums. She gave me tips just as great as any I’d find in a textbook and I am so thankful!
You’re life will never be entirely quite just yours again.
This is due to the fact that a large part of my heart exists outside of my body – in Annie. Every decision I make, whether big or small is not just for myself anymore. All of my actions, plans, desires and dreams now take her into account and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
If you’re a fellow mama, how has motherhood changed you?
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xo, alice
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photos by Ban Avenue
