For My Mommy

"A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self. And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships."  –Victoria Secunda 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

This mother’s day is a special one for me, because although I'm not "officially" a mom yet, it’s the first one where I feel like I can somewhat understand the strength of a mother’s love. All these years of laughing at my mom’s silly worries, calling her a “helicopter mom,” and rolling my eyes at her dozens of seemingly pointless questions are now suddenly beginning to make sense in my mind, as I’m constantly being reminded of this little person growing inside of me, worrying about her, wondering about her well-being, and filling my mind with thoughts of her and how she is doing every second of every day. 

Motherhood, I’m learning, is a big deal. It takes a truly special person to be a great mother, and I have been blessed with the best one of them all. 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

To my Mommy, 

This Mother’s Day, I want to thank you for carrying me in your belly for 9 long months. Thank you for still loving me, even though I shattered your dreams of a natural birth by turning breech during your last week of pregnancy (and cracking your ribs while I was at it). Thank you for nurturing me, for singing to me, for reading me stories, and for waking up at ridiculous hours of the night (and morning) to take care of me. Thank you for the hours you’ve spent rocking me to sleep, for the wonderful memories you’ve provided me with, for raising not only me, but also my amazing big sister, whom I would be nothing without. 

Thank you for being my shoulder to cry on during the formative years of my childhood – as I grew up and learned that life isn’t always fair, and that sometimes, the people you think are your friends will turn their backs on you without warning. Thank you for always trying to be on my side, and for telling me when I was wrong. Thank you for the lessons you’ve taught me – for being a great wife and showing the importance of commitment even when things got hard. Thank you for building a strong, solid foundation for me to grow from, and for being my friend. 

This Mother’s Day, thank you for loving me as much as you do. Thank you for constantly worrying about me (and now, for worrying about my own daughter) as much as you do. As annoyed as I might get sometimes, I appreciate it (and you) more than you know. 

Even though we can’t be together to celebrate today, I hope you always know how much I love you! You have truly taught me what it means to be a mother, and I hope that I can be half the mommy to Marleigh as you have been, and are, to me. I love you! 

Love, 

Your peanut