At Home Motherhood: Memories of Precious Moments

Since I was young, I always wanted to be a mom. It was my dream to be able to raise children who I could show the world to, teach them about the wonders around them, teach them about God, and love them wholeheartedly. What follows is a stream of consciousness piece of my precious memories of being an at home mom for eight years.

I remember...the first day you were born and how when I held you for the very first time, a tear of happiness rolled down my cheek because you had made me complete...walks in all 4 seasons with you in your carriage looking around at the world around you with bright pink cheeks and eyes filled with wonder...waking up to your babbling baby voice in the mornings and your good morning smile that filled me with joy...suckling you to my breast, morning, noon and night, and enjoying the skin upon skin sweet feeling of mother and child bonding...holding you when you were so tired you fell asleep in my arms, me not daring to move, not daring to break the stillness and disturb the utter contentment I felt at being your mother...the soft, sweet smell of your baby curls as I held you...making homemade baby food for you in the blender to give you the healthiest and best tasting vegetables and fruits instead of buying them processed at the grocery store...taking you to the beach for the very first time and watching you curl up your toes when I dangled them in the cool ocean water... taking you outside on your baby sled and pulling you around the yard in the beautiful white snow, all bundled in your snowsuit and blankets...digging in the garden with you, your small garden toy tools next to my larger ones and planting the seeds of vegetables which would later nurture you...watching you splash for hours in utter contentment in your kiddie pool on hot summer days...playing classical music for you during your nap time hoping that somehow the beautiful notes would touch your heart and soul...snuggling you next to me as we read story after story together, your favorite ones, such as Curious George, Berenstain Bears, and Corduroy over and over again...making sure every night before you went to bed that I kissed you and hugged you, said prayers with you, and made sure you had "purple blankie" before you went to sleep...singing you to sleep some nights when sleep wouldn't come easily to your active mind...building card table forts with you, and climbing inside to share a story, a game or an important talk about all the many questions you had about the world...making Great Grandma Brown's homemade sugar cookie cutouts and laughing together at the flour on our noses and clothes...watching you build snow forts with your neighborhood friends, and having hot cocoa ready for you when you came in the door, wet, cold, and happy...taking you to story time at the library, and how proud you were on the first day you got to go in the room all by yourself, leaving Mommy behind without even a look behind you...taking you camping and watching you enjoy the freedom of nature and helping your Dad build the campfire each night...watching you get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten, my heart bursting with conflicting feelings of sadness for me and excitement for you...having the smell of homemade cookies fill the kitchen for you when you arrived home from school...watching the excitement in your eyes when I came into your class each week to volunteer and read to you and your classmates...reading a chapter from classic children's books to you each night before bed, knowing you were enjoying the adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the sisters from the Little House on the Prairie as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you...looking back through photos of all those special times we shared that have helped keep us as close as we are today.

As the years have gone by, I have cherished gifts from my children. I have saved all of the Mother's day gifts and Christmas gifts they hand made in school. I especially love the hand made cards, and one of my daughters, at my urging, continued to make them for me through her high school years.

My kids are older now, and their gifts have moved on to more adult type things. I cherish a Vermont Teddy Bear my daughter gave me that wears a shirt that says, 'I Love My Mom" and I have started a collection of Willow Tree figures also. They have many with children and parents, and I think they are SO very special. I gave one to my daughter the Christmas before she went off to college that talked about no matter how far away, she always be "close to me."

I love gifts that celebrate my bond with my children, and that tells me THEY love and appreciate me for our relationship throughout their lifetime. I loved being an at home mom and will cherish those memories forever.