Skip to main content

The Gift

My step was light as I rounded the corner to our frequent after-work restaurant. My two favorite people were meeting me for dinner and I expected them to be waiting for me when I arrived. As I pushed the door open, a string of bells tinked against the glass announcing my entrance. As did the little girl who ran past every table with arms wide open, gleefully crying, "Mommy!"

Distance makes the heart grow fonder and our daily, evening reunions bring much joy to me. After a day apart I love to see her round face and bright eyes. I love to feel her soft, chubby hands in mine and to hear the sound of her little voice recounting her day, "I eat hot dog. I ride bike. I sing Old MacDonald." As we ease into our version of a conversation, I'm amazed that only three years ago today I saw that face, felt those hands and heard that sweet voice for the first time.

The night of her birth my mom says I looked like a deer in headlights. I remember looking at Caroline curled up in my arms, and then looking quizzically at my mom, in disbelief that this baby was mine (and that she'd just come out of my vagina). During the quiet hours of the evening when the lights were all off and the only sound was the beating of our hearts chest-to-chest, I counted her fingers and toes and counted my blessings. I knew I had been given the very best gift.

Today we count to ten and work on counting our way up to twenty and I still count my blessings. I have indeed been given the very best gift and it is a gift that keeps on giving.

Reading this from my facebook page and want more? Read 2 years of fun and exciting weekly posts at http://upstatemommy-amomslife-upstatemommy.blogspot.com/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Somebody Who Matters

At first glance, one may not think that my mom and I are alike. Moe is shy and reserved. She's calm and thoughtful. She's a good listener and keeps things to herself. She's grounded and sensible. She's practical. You may be laughing now if you know me. I'm loud and outspoken. I'm dramatic and irrational. I talk too much and share too much. My head is often in the clouds and I lack common sense. I 'm a dreamer. How did this kid come from that mom? Well, if you know me, you also know that my mom has had the greatest impact on me and that we are actually very much alike. For example, Moe isn't really shy or reserved. She's just waiting for the right time to tell you what she thinks and you're going to hear it whether or not you like it. She uses the F-bomb freely, and sometimes inappropriately. In her own right, she is a feminist. She's a loyal friend. She's the family organizer. She has a quirky sense of humor and knows not to take hersel...

Facebook Reality Check

I am a big facebook user. No, I don't play Farmville or Candy Crush Saga but I spend at least 15 minutes on the site daily. I have read many articles about how facebook kills one's self esteem because people use the site to boast and brag about their awesome lives, which in turn makes others feel badly about their own. We all know that facebook is a slice of one's life or maybe a projection of the life they want to live. Anybody who isn't a fool should realize that. As a frequent facebooker and hardcore extrovert, with a lack of a strong filter, I find this whole situation to be a dilemma. What is worse, reading about someone's awesome day and seeing a picture of how fabulous they looked during their awesome day, or reading about their terrible day, looking at angry political memes, or rants about the bad customer service they received? Do you want to read about how someone had the best night ever with their bestest buds (you not included) or that they have been ...

Tips for Transitioning to Back-To-School Time

Transitions can be hard for kids with special needs, making the back-to-school schedule particularly challenging for them and their families. Here are some tips for making that transition, and first few months of the fall, easier for everyone. Map out a Schedule and Reduce Anxiety While no kid wants to start talking about going back to school when he or she is still enjoying their summer vacation, it’s important to reduce anxiety by starting to talk about what the back-to-school schedule is going to look like. While this could mean creating a visual schedule or developing a calendar, it’s important to talk with your child about what the back-to-school schedule is going to look like, including wake up time, what happens during the day, after school, right up until bedtime. Developing a schedule can hopefully alleviate some of your child's stress about what to expect during the transition and can also open up a dialogue for what questions and concerns your child has. Have your chil...