On Motherhood

Six months old and being introduced
to my alma mater

Motherhood. Its the hardest job I've ever had or ever will have. I don't earn any monetary compensation for it but for my efforts I do receive lots of smiles, hugs, love and that heart swelling pride that comes from watching my little boy grow up right before my eyes. Whether it is reciting facts about the human body and therefore teaching me things about the digestive system that I never learned in college biology (Sidney's latest obsession), telling me about his school day and who did what on the playground, or teaching me how to say new words in French, my little boy never ceases to amaze me.

As a mother there are no vacation days because I am always on call. Whether it be late at night, early in the morning, or during the school day, when Sidney needs something it is me that he calls for. He may love playing tee ball with his father but when he falls down I am the one who he wants to comfort him. Daddy is the one who fixes things when they break but I am the provider of kisses who makes things better.  I am the one who goes to the store and buys things before we run out, makes sure dinner is on the table, there are clean clothes to be worn and there is always a tasty snack in his backpack for school. When traveling daddy is his pizza eating buddy but I'm the one who makes sure that everything is packed up and ready to go before we set out on our next adventure. Every morning Sidney stands along side me and makes his own breakfast (oatmeal), as he says, he is cooking just like Mamma. And going to the library or discovering the coolest playgrounds in Belgium? Those are exclusively activities for just the two of us. He may be the mirror image of his father in so many ways but he is and always will be my little boy.

Cooking in the kitchen

Sidney is currently going through a phase where girls are not cool. As he says, at school the boys only play with boys because the girls are icky. If there are only girls on a playground he will wait for them to leave. As much as he loves to dance along to music if the singer is a female he says it is a "girl's song" and patiently waits for a "boy song" to play. I know this is phase but as someone who wants her son to not see everything through a gender specific lens, it is hard. And what about me (someone who is definitely a girl)? Sidney does make an exception for me since according to him, I'm not a girl, I'm just Mamma. And as his Mamma he will hold my hand for now (but not when he is a "big boy"). He still greets me with a hug and kiss at school despite other kids telling him he shouldn't kiss girls. He still references me as an authority..."My Mamma says.....". I'm going to enjoy all of this while I can and enjoy my "just Mamma" title because I am after all just his Mamma. But being just Mamma suits me fine. In fact, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, it is the best title I've ever had.

Exploring Tuscany last fall

And Sidney with his two girls, his Mamma and his Mimi