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Mother Holding Toddler Daughter
The joy of being a mom can be articulated in so many different ways but it all comes down to appreciating the little things. The smiles, the hugs and the freshly picked bouquet of dandelions. Enjoy this collection of thoughts from our Savvy Storytellers and the moms from Savvy HQ, who share what they love the most about being a mom.
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Sensory Affection
I love how having kids affects all my senses from the moment the sun rises. Hearing their wake-up calls, picking them up out of their beds and feeling their soft skin against my face. Smelling their unique wake-up smell and breathing in their special fragrance. Kissing their soft cheeks, I taste their tears and kiss them away and while watching them run down the stairs, I am reminded of the day they first walked. Sensory moments such as these remind me of how special it is to be a mom.
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Crash Course in Everything
Being a mom is like taking a crash course in, well, everything. From learning new languages (baby talk counts as a language, right?) to learning how to get a ketchup stain out of white carpet, everyday is an adventure. Our kids constantly challenge us to be the best we can be, whether they are trying our patience by taking 40 minutes to eat their dinner, or teaching us generosity by asking us to share the last brownie. But above all they teach us what love really is—getting up at 3 am to sooth a crying baby when you only went to sleep at 1:30 and holding someone's hand while they have a poop. This is my favourite part of being a mom—learning to be more compassionate, more patient, and more kind then I ever knew I could be.
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Being Appreciated
Every day we impart important nuggets of knowledge to our pint-sized audience. Obviously, this is appreciated. Where else would they learn that teeth can't get clean with a singular, frantic swipe of the toothbrush, that you shouldn't feed the dog Pop Rocks and that not eating fruit can give you scurvy (that's our story and we're sticking to it). All that learning during the breakfast hour alone—you're welcome, kids.
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Regressing
Once in a while it is really nice to take a break from being an adult and just act like a kid. You know, forget about your credit card bill and play on the swings at the park. Screw the grass stains and just roll down the hill. Leave the dirty dishes on the table and go play hide and seek. Yet if you don't have kids and do these things on your own, people think you are crazy. So how awesome is it that, as a mom you have carte blanche to act like a kid whenever the mood strikes you? It's the best of both worlds—all the fun of being a kid without the early bed time. Being a mom rocks!
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The Little Things
Until we had kids, we had no idea how little we actually needed: REM sleep, disposable income and privacy in the bathroom. But with one look at them, we rarely regret all that we gave up. It's the little things that actually matter and make it all worthwhile. Like smiles and hugs (and a night in a luxury hotel, alone).
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Making an Impact
As our kids get older, it can sometimes feel like we're talking to ourselves and not really being heard. But every once in a while that magical moment happens when you overhear one of your children repeating something that you told them or asking a follow up question to a discussion you had days or even weeks ago. It is then that you really know that your words are valued and impactful, and that your job as a mom is truly the most important, demanding and rewarding job you'll ever have.
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The Wild Nights
You may have slept around a bit before kids but that was child's play compared to the amount of bed hopping you'll do as a parent. There's always tons of crazy and wild nighttime activity now—vomiting, earaches, nightmares and soother replacing—to keep us from getting bored at night. Keeping things exciting in the bedroom? The kids have it covered.
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The Quiet Moments
It's bedtime I love the most. Not just because I'll finally get some peace and quiet and time to myself, but because of the stillness and the special time for me and my boy. We snuggle under the covers and read a book. To hear about his day—both the good and the bad. To giggle together and to give and receive soft kisses. These are the times I'm happiest and most in love. And the sight of his sleepy head on the pillow, his soft breath on my cheek. Being a mommy doesn't get any better than this.
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The Awesome Accessories
Staying on trend is totally possible as a parent. LBK (Life Before Kids) meant splurges on clothing and travel but luxury items now have a real purpose. Thousand dollar strollers, high-tech baby bouncers, even breast pumps suddenly have status. You'll know you've been sucked in the day you start rapturously describing your new diaper pail. Scoff all you want. It'll happen to you too.
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It's in the Eyes
One of the things I love most about motherhood is living through my children's eyes. They hold everything so near and dear to them and find joy in the smallest, simplest of activities. Their reactions are priceless. As adults, somewhere in our lives, we lose the willingness to believe in magic and the impossible, whereas our children still do. And through them, we get to feel that excitement once again.
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Life Successes
Now that my daughters are older, the best part of being a mom is seeing them succeed and excel at life. Whether they are kicking a soccer ball, dancing hip-hop, or acing a test, I'm filled with pride at their confidence and ability to accomplish their goals.
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The Highs and Lows
As we try to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius for the fifth day in a row while debating an emerg visit, it's obvious—med school would have come in handy. From high anxiety to the relief (days later) of a low-grade result, nothing makes you appreciate the ups more than surviving the downs.
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BFFs
As my daughter grows, she asks more and more about the world around her. Recently she heard the term 'BFF' and asked me what it meant. I shared that it stood for 'Best Friends Forever'. I could see that she was trying to grasp the true meaning of this new term she had heard. A few more days passed and we heard nothing on the topic. Until one morning as she was leaving for the day, she shouted out "Bye Mommy! You're my BFF!" And it was then that I truly understood the meaning of the acronym myself and the wonderful process of learning our children go through.
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The quiet and the LOUD Moments
I had no idea that I could love peace and quiet as much as I do. After spending a day filled with running and playing, laughing and crying, there is nothing I love more than cuddling on the sofa with my girls. The quiet after the storm brings such special moments that I will never forget about as my girls grow up. I know that we will always spend LOUD moments together, but I don't imagine that when they are adults we will lay on the sofa together. So, I love to share and create these peaceful, snuggly memories now...to hold on to forever.
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The Workouts
Technically, we're a member of an actual gym—but who needs it? All we do all day is Work. It. Out. Over who had it last, who gets it next, who ate the last piece, who went first, who called who what, and when, who said it first, who left it on, who turned it off, who called it, who wrote on it, who yelled it, who slammed it, who stained it, who lost it, who found it, who took it, who forgot it. Who knew we'd spend so much time working it all out, without ever having to lift a weight. Thanks, kids!
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The Motherlode of Love
I encourage my daughter to stay in her own bed, telling her I can't sleep as well when she is wedged in between myself and my husband. She thinks this is due to the cramped quarters, but actually it is not. I can't sleep because I can't help staring at her face, perfectly lost in dreamland. I can't sleep because I can't believe my luck and fortune that this little face beside me, this beautiful person is my daughter. She is seven years old, but the wonder of her is new to me every day.
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Camaraderie
From the moment your belly starts announcing to the world that you are preggers, you automatically become a part of this amazing network of moms. No matter where you are or what you are doing, other moms will have your back. Have a cranky baby on an airplane? The mom behind you plays peek-a-boo with your little one to try and help out. Waiting longer than expected at the doctor's office? A fellow mom shares her snack of goldfish crackers and apple slices to keep your little one happy. As a mom you are never alone. Not because you have a two-year-old permanently attached to your hip, but because there are millions of other moms out there going through exactly the same thing as you. Stay strong and be proud because you are a mom, and moms rule!