Elly turns 7 months this Saturday and I thought what better
way to commemorate the passing months than to share with you what I have learnt
from being mother to this amazing little girl.
1. Patience.
1. Patience.
The truth is, as glamorous and easy as our
mothers made motherhood look, it is bound to test you. I have learnt to be
patient, and this for me is a big accomplishment because I am not a very
patient person. Take last night for instance. Elly refused to have her dinner.
She cried and cried and would not let me give her just a few spoonfuls of food.
Then all she wanted to do was sleep and I knew that would be impossible with an
empty stomach, but she was determined. When I finally gave in and took her to
bed, it took her another two hours to actually sleep. She would doze a bit then
the moment I put her in bed, she wakes up, smile her pretty smile and decide
that we should play. Eventually, she did sleep, after a few stern words from
her dad.
2. Don't take anything too seriously, even myself.
There are times, like the one described
above, when Elly is completely naughty. She will refuse to sleep during the
day, press all manner of keys on my laptop or even worse, pull out the modem,
flash disk or power when I am working or spray me with food, the list goes on
and on. Of course I get upset. Who wouldn't? Especially when all I want to do
is meet a certain deadline or go to bed early. But then just as I am about to
lose it, she smiles a big toothless smile and looks so cute that I forget what I
was angry about. Yes, there are times when you need to get serious but it doesn't
mean that I should forget to smile and be silly.
3.You will give and give and give and get very little in return.
Just recently, I was reminiscing on the
first few days at home with Elly and I couldn't help but marvel at how far we
had come. I remember a few (very few in fact) sleepless nights when she would
wail until midnight because she had colic. Or how I was so sleep deprived those
first few months. She depends on me for so much: to put aside my work and pick
her up whenever she needs comforting, to feed her at her pace and not at mine,
to play with her when she wants to, etc. I have never had to give myself so
much to anyone and know that I will get very little in return. The joy on her
face and that cheeky smile make it all worthwhile though.
4.Mothers hardly ever have eye bags.
This was something that was said to me by one of my mum's friends. You know those
days when I would get at most four or five hours of sleep in a day? I never had
eye bags, even once. And I would go about the following day as if I had had a
very good night and manage to be sane.
5. It's OK to cry.
The first few days with my baby girl were
tough. I remember shedding a few tears when things got too tough, when I didn't
know what to do with a crying baby. But after the tears, I felt better and more
energized and ready to get back to being a mother. Although it is easier now,
there are days when it gets a bit too much for me. In those moments, I usually
watch Top Gear (those men are insane), laugh and forget about why I was so
worked up.
6. All mothers will go to heaven.
Yes, I have decided. Any woman who has
carried a child in her womb for nine months (or until birth), has gone through
labour pains or has had a Caeserean section, has stayed up with her baby to
soothe him or her, has put her life on hold just to raise another human being
deserves to go to heaven. It is hard. The rewards are great and I know God will
be merciful to her and welcome her when her time comes, to sit by his side in
heaven.
Thank you for stopping by.