Mother’s Day according to The Urban Dictionary: ‘A day when you MUST give a card to YOUR mother and EVERY mother in your family. If not they’ll treat you like s*** and call you selfish no matter how much you REALLY love them.’
… And those were sort-of-kind-of my sentiments of Mother’s Day pre-2015.
As a child you think it’s about daffs, church and cooking a roast for your Mum. But when you become a mother it brings an an entirely new perspective.
As much as M was 100% there for me, holding my hand every step of The Birth (and more importantly passing me the Gas!), lying in the hospital bed that first night alone with J’s two brand new eyes looking at me expectantly…. I just wanted my Mum.
The morning after, an enormous tidal wave of new-found respect for my Mum hit me like a brick wall. And I will always hold on to that feeling.
I rang her from the hospital. I had been suddenly overwhelmingly struck with a sense of awe for all the Mums in my life — my Gran, my Godmum, my other Gran (she had 5!) and my Mum-in-Law. Such a selfless, powerful and strong act to have gone through. and so as I said to my Mum that morning ‘us Mums need to stick together’.
When my Mum first visited we ended up in the Bathroom, locked door, hushed voices ‘Are you … you know … ok down there?!!’ Aged 28 and a Mum myself, yet she was still checking that her baby was ok.
And that’s when it hit me. Motherhood is a gift for life.
This week was my 30th birthday. I was tucked up in bed ill all week. And even 30 years later, my Mum was saying ‘I feel guilty celebrating here with my friends when you are ill.’ Mama Krysten from WordyMamas has writted an excellent Blog on Mum Guilt and so I guess it stays with you … even as a Granny! But in response to my Mum I encouraged her to celebrate — we’ve shared those 30 years and so they’re hers too.
From my 4th Birthday, when asked if I liked my brand new blue Raleigh bike that they couldn’t really afford and I responded ‘I would have preferred the pink one’ …. to the endless school plays, ballet classes, brownie camps, swimming classes, homework, revision and band practices.
From the spotty-teenage-hormone-induced rows … to the weekly slamming of doors.
From waving to me as their car pulls away from University for the first time … to Waving me off on my year abroad. From waving us off in our removal van on the way to our first house … to Waving us off in a rickshaw down a track to Married Life…..
From plying me with copious amounts of Gaviscon when pregnant …. To ringing up in tears as a Mum when I struggled to breastfeed J.
So yes, you MUST give a card to YOUR mother and EVERY mother in your family on Mother’s Day.
Because it’s the one day you can just say a little thank you.
Dedicated to Mama Rinaldi. I love all that you’ve done for me…. Even when I am a s***!