Keeping Up the Conversation

My oldest daughter turned 2 in June, the younger one is 9 months old—this means two things; that I’m a very busy woman and that I’m still fairly new at this whole mom thing. When we celebrated my daughter’s birthday I reminded myself that as she turned 2 I was turning 2 too—as a mom.

Becoming a mother has not been an easy transition for me. There are days when I really feel like I have my act together and others when the whole damn production is falling apart at the seams. I wish I could say it has been easier, because somehow I feel like that would make me a better mother, but it hasn’t been and so I force myself to continually re-evaluate, look for suggestions and support, and am trying to practice the art of gratitude, because I’ve heard really good things about people who are grateful!

The honest truth is, I don’t get an “A” for my attitude on a lot of days, and many parts of being a SAHM have been a challenge for me. So how does one cope? How does one learn? How does one adjust to the planet of motherhood?

It’s all about starting a conversation and joining in on a conversation that has been in existence since the beginning of time. Moms have always needed other moms. To talk, to learn, to rant, to remind each other that we are not in this alone and that it is hard sometimes.

Shortly after my first daughter was born a colleague of mine, who is also a mother, asked me an interesting question, “Do you feel like you were born to be a mom, or do you feel like it’s something you really have to work at?” Now, given that she seemed like the born to be mom type and I was definitely feeling like the “I really, really, REALLY need to work at this” type, I suppose I could have taken the question as a slight jab, but I honestly think she was just kicking up a conversation, about motherhood, likely a conversation that she was trying to process internally and I think it’s an interesting question to ponder.

Two years later I still don’t feel like the naturally born mom type. I don’t know how many moms feel that they are. I envy those that do. I think a lot of us find that we have to work at it, which is part of the reason I started this blog. It’s a work in progress, literally and figuratively. As I work at becoming a better mother I hope to share some of my experiences, which I hope are encouraging or at least provide you with a few laughs for the day. In turn I hope to hear from and connect with likeminded moms who can share their own frustrations and encouragements and maybe in the process we will all come out a little happier.