Motherhood – Awe, Joy, and Surprise – The Emotions of Having Three Sons

Usually, on holidays, my posts do not address the holiday itself. But, today is Mother’s Day. I have a Mother and I am a Mother. It is a role I cherish – the most important job in my life.  When each of my boys were born, I had different feelings connected with their births. This is the story of those feelings.

First Born

I remember laying in the hospital the night after my first son was born. He was beside me in his bassinet – rooming in – they called it then. He stayed with me so I could feed him on demand. Being a nurse that had worked with babies – both healthy and sick – this was a routine I knew well, although had never experienced myself.  I do not remember much of the actual care giving in those first few hours of being a mother, but I do have strong memories of how I felt. I was in so much awe over the fact that my husband and I had made this living baby whose dark, almost black, eyes stared up at me in the dark, I could not sleep! I just kept staring at him thinking, I’m a mom! I did it – I have a child!  It was feelings of awe and gratitude so overwhelming, I could not rest. I was elated. As the months wore on, of course I wish I had slept – because he rarely did – always awake, always observing and soon interacting with his environment, I learned I should always sleep when the opportunity presented itself.

Not Luck…..Lots of Effort

Too many years after I first became a mother, I finally became one again.  Our second son came after years of unsuccessfully trying, and a couple of unfortunate miscarriages. By the time he arrived, we had moved from New York to Wisconsin! This decision was made when we were still parents to an only child and were trying to decide where best to raise him. As often it happens, once the focus was on the move and not becoming pregnant, I found I was expecting again and would be traveling 900 miles during the middle of this second, so wanted gestation, to someplace where we knew no one. We quickly settled in and by the time our second son was born, we had neighbors that had become friends. Undoubtably, my feelings after giving birth this time was joy.  We had done it again, I was the mother of two!

It Won’t Happen Again….

About a year after our second son was born, we joked about trying to have a third child. The first two had been illusive for so long before they were actually with us, that it seemed very unlikely we would be blessed a third time.  So, we joked and said – “Yeah, let’s try. It won’t happen again.”

Surprise! Less than two months later, I was pregnant – an uncomplicated, easy pregnancy, one during which I actually felt sick! I reveled in this as it meant the baby was healthy!  We soon had a third son. I am still stunned at how easy his conception and birth were – although he did show up almost 2 weeks late!  As each time before, I felt gratitude and relief that everything, once again, was okay. Our family was complete. His arrival was definitely a very welcome surprise!

Being a mother is not an easy job.

But, it is the best job in the world!

And, I am so happy I got the chance to be one – again, and again.

Happy Mother’s Day to me & to you!