Motherhood - she gives and she takes away, she blesses and curses at will and will never leave. Motherhood has given me stretch marks in places I never knew one could have stretch marks and fat in places I never had before. She has given me extra skin on my stomach and robbed me of nice puffy fat in my boobs - the results of which I hope you are not now imagining. She has destabilized my hormones and widened my hips. Motherhood has cause me to say things like “I don’t think so young lady” and “does that stain remover get puke out of linen?” I have intimate knowledge of how far a vagina can stretch and then how much it can swell. She has inflicted upon me maladies like hemorrhoids, mastitis, plugged ducts, thrush and prolapse. In many ways, Motherhood has not been kind to me.

Motherhood is also a great and wise teacher, a humbling presence and a force of patience.  She has taught me that I am not the center of the universe, that if my plans do not go off without a hitch I will indeed survive and that the greatest joy can often be found in snotty kisses and pummeling hugs that knock me on my ass. Speaking of being knocked on my ass - Motherhood has wore me down in the best ways I could have ever imagined. I dread to think of the person I would be now if I hadn’t conceived, nurtured, birthed and breastfed my girls. Learning to gently discipline my toddlers has taught me more than it has them.

So, Motherhood, we might have a love-hate relationship but I have a feeling I wouldn’t like the me I would be without you.

Happy mother’s day to me - and thank you Motherhood.

Tags: motherhood, mother’s day

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