What It Means to Be a Mother.

I have been thinking alot about Baby Rowland, and how much I care for him already even though he is not born yet. I feel him moving every day and even when he is not moving, I wait for him to move and say "hi." Being a mother, to me, might be similar to being a wife. There is a phase when you meet and fall madly in love, then more deeply in love, until you begin to respect and admire your partner very much, as if they are a part of your very soul. With children I believe it is probably the same, as a mother. Why I say this is because possibly all or most mothers are loving and caring to their sweet, completely loveable and utterly helpless little babies, and continue to be nurturing, supportive and sharing to their growing children whom they are in love with. What must become so difficult is letting children go off on their own, I would imagine, and discovering they do not fully belong to you. Learning how to grow with your children as they become teenagers and adult people, accepting and continuing to love them and support them, and share with them the most special moments of their lives. Eventually coming to respect and admire them out of this well of deep love you have developed for them even before they are born. As a mother, they belong to you. They begin in your womb, grow and become adults that no longer want to be treated like the children you love so deeply and want to hold in your arms.

I will thrive to be the best mother I can to sweet Baby Rowland, giving and sharing with him all the parts of me that I believe will teach him about this beautiful life, the complicated and wonderful love within it, and how to treat others with empathy, kindness and respect. I want more than anything for Baby Rowland to love me and Steve as much as we love him. I never, ever want to lose his respect and therefore will never disrespect him as he begins to grow and observe who I am as his parent. I will nurture and cherish him every day of his life and beyond, serving as a constant source of support and love; I will encourage nothing but his every hope and dream. I will love him no matter who he becomes, because he is my child. All the while carrying myself in a way that merits a mother the respect and love of her child.

I think this is what it means to be a mother.