Motherhood

My purpose in life at this moment

Blessing, job, purpose, destiny

As a kid I was given the nickname "Mother Kate" A true older sibling I would "mother" my sister (4 years younger), making sure messes were cleaned up, snacks were had and more. I babysat for years. My "mothering" even spilled over to my education and pursuing athletic training- really what is an athletic trainer but a 'mom' to take care of your boo-boos?

Mothering always called to me, and I always knew I'd be a good mom. I didn't always want kids- like many of my generation, college, career and relationship were important, kids could fit in but didn't give you value as a woman or a person. Then as many stories go, I met my husband. A man who while distance dating, before having even met each other in person asked if I wanted kids. I ran to my best friend, asking "What do I say!?!" but deep down knowing I would be a mother.

My mother always said "plant, dog baby" You first get a plant, keep it alive. Then once the plant has been alive get a dog. A dog allows you to learn parenting techniques, communication and putting someone else's needs before yours. Then once the dog is established, you're used to coming home early to let the dog out and you've cleaned up your share of poop, then baby.

Plants are alive, dog is alive and the baby is alive so far.....

In today's culture there is a book and a label for everything, parenting not excluded. There are a few parenting/child rearing "philosophies" I lean on (Attachment Parenting, Montessori, Waldorf) but mainly I trust myself. I trust my sacred intuition as a woman and a mother. Life is a constant weighing of knowledge; pros and cons. Motherhood is the same, but with another's life to consider.

At the end of the day I don't believe in a "right" way of motherhood. Its about survival. And not giving your baby crack. If at the end of the day you didn't give your baby crack you're doing okay. And that's all we can do, our best each day, each moment.

“Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.”

― Jodi Picoult

“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is...and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.”
― Donna Ball

“I looked on child rearing not only as a work of love & duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting & challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring to it.”
― Rose Kennedy

“Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all.”
― Julie B. Beck

They let me have one! 11 days

My Monster <3

He's still alive! 11 months