I was thinking today about my best day as a mother and I'm pretty sure it was April 20, 1996. That's the day Colter was born. My love for him then was immediate, intense and pure, in a way it never has been since.
Do I love him more now? Yes, because he's more of a person, so there's more to love. Do I love him intensely? Absolutely, there's no lack of intensity in our house. But purely? Not a chance.
The day he was born (and really there were only hours involved because he emerged around dinnertime), I felt I had succeeded as a parent. And, I was able to give him everything he wanted and needed. There was no frustration or confusion. In the nine years since, I don't think any moment has been as clear or uncomplicated.
I suspect if I asked most any mother to describe the happiest day of her life, she'd pick the day her child was born.
How about you? What was your happiest day? What was your best day as a parent?
For me, it was the day I learned that I was pregnant with my son. The euphoria actually followed me for about 8 months, until I started to beg for the whole thing to be finished.... but then, after he was born, I learned the true meaning of "uncertainty".
I don't think I'll ever make another decision without wondering anxiously whether I've scarred him for life.
Posted by: kris | September 21, 2005 at 11:15 AM
Its hard for me to remember my best day as a mother as I have started the journey of weening my child off of the breast. He's never had a bottle and I do not want to replace one habit with another one so I offer the cup. Its hard. Any tips for sore breasts? ANY would be muchly appreciated.
Posted by: April | August 21, 2005 at 10:24 AM
Definitly the day of birth was the most intense and pure. In only 3 months, almost every day since has been worrying about something. But the happiest day so far is the day she smiled at us. Oh what a morning that was, laying in bed on a Sunday, our pumpkin between us. Then she smiled up at papa and me. The thought still brings tears to my eyes. There is nothing as special as your baby's first smile.
Posted by: Ms. Mama | August 19, 2005 at 06:14 AM
I had an emergency c-section one and a half months early because my daughter had two heart problems. Everything went so fast that day, I was seeing a specialist every 3 days so they could monitor the baby's heart and I went to their office for my "regular" visit, everything was as normal and then while they had me all plugged up to this machine I noticed that the doctor's face did not look right and then a nurse quickly walked out of the room screaming "we have a tacky baby in here, call downstairs!" I was like what? What does that mean, someone please tell me.... Come to find out, my baby's heart rate was 270 beats a minute. On the fancy machine it looked like the agitator in a washing machine going so fast. The next thing I knew I was in the hospital with nurses and doctors poking, proding me and zooming around getting me ready to have an emergency c-section. I was so scared, none of my family was there; I didn't have my bag or any of those all important things on the expectant mothers to-do list. Luckily one of the nurses without my knowledge had phoned my husband and thank goodness at the very last minute he came running down the hall sliding past the room I was in (when I think back: it could have been straight out of a movie, it was adorable seeing him fly past the doorway)
So...Needless to say: the day she was born was filled with so many emotions: anxiety, worry, guilt, happiness...etc. that I don't know what I was or felt that day. I did not even get to hold or see my baby until 27 hours after I had her. But I do know that three days later (December 31, 1999) when I was able to take my new bundle of joy home from the neo-natal intensive care unit at Baptist Hospital was the best day of my life! It was followed by many more days filled with mixed emotions - but nothing can top that day.
Sorry this got so long....
Posted by: Kim | August 19, 2005 at 01:56 AM
Happiest day- definitely the day Damien was born. Best as a mom (or maybe proudest) the day he took part in his first national gymnastics competition (and yes I’m bragging).
Posted by: angel | August 18, 2005 at 10:12 AM
I really can't choose a single day, but I can definitively say that it wasn't the day that either of my girls were born. With Tacy, it was 11:42pm and I had finally succumbed to the inevitable c-section. With CJ, it was morning, but again, it was a c-section and I was wiped out.
But my best times as a mother have definitely been with the two of them together. Growing up, I never envisioned myself as a mother, and I am most proud of myself in those moments where I see that I am succeeding in spite of myself.
Posted by: Julie | August 16, 2005 at 11:36 PM
Intense and pure, day of birth... I'd have to say you hit the nail on the head with that one.
Posted by: Amy | August 13, 2005 at 10:04 PM