Mother's Day

Today was my first Mother's Day as a mommy!  After a delicious homemade brunch cooked by my hubby, I opened some very sweet gifts and then the three of us spent the afternoon at the park.  Emily went on the swings and then insisted on rolling around in the dirt a little bit, luckily after Shep snapped this photo of us.

It's a little hard to see from the photo, but we're wearing matching shirts.  Yes, I'm that mom.  The shirts were a Christmas gift from a friend and I've been dying for warm enough weather to wear them -- I thought today was the perfect day!

My first Mother's Day, and almost a full year of being Mommy.  Wow.  So many memories already, so many learnings, so much love, and so little sleep.  ;)   I wouldn't trade any of it!  How lucky am I that I get to spend my life loving this sweet little girl.  Emily, you'll always be my sunshine!  Thank you for filling my days with laughter, joy, love, and silliness.  Becoming your mommy has been more wonderful, difficult and fulfilling than I'd ever imagined possible, and motherhood is the best gift I've ever been given.  You fill my world with light, and make me happy when skies are gray.  I love you more than words can say, and am so honored to be your mommy.

I remember watching this video last year when it first aired.  Back then, I was still trying to imagine exactly what it would be like to "be a mom".  I have a lot of great mom role models in my life, and I tried to picture myself in their shoes, doing their job.  It's funny -- all of the expectations I had about motherhood were sort of right but also sort of wrong.

This is the most challenging ("There are no breaks!"; "No time to sleep!"), high stakes, high energy ("chaotic environment"), entertaining and most rewarding job I'll ever have.  Not every day is a "successful" one, but I love every minute of watching Emily grow.  I wouldn't trade my job as Mommy for all the money in the world, and I'd take this job over and over and over again, without a second thought.

*****

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful, amazing, loving, special moms out there!!!  Thank you so much for all that you do!  It is a tough job, but someone's gotta do it!

And to my Mom..... I love you!  Thanks for everything.  :)  xoxo