26 Things I Love About Motherhood

Happy happy birthday and new year to me. (And Audrey Hepburn, RIP). Today I turn 26 so in honor of my many rotations around the sun and my first (almost) Mothers Day around the corner, I thought I’d make a post in honor of my daughter and why I love being a mommy to her. Having a child, especially a daughter, is what I always dreamed of and Miss Maxly is more perfect than I ever could have even dreamed. That little hoot has my heart in its entirety and makes it so so happy more and more each day. She is the Rory to my Lorelai ☕ She is my peach. She is my plum. She is my Earth. She is my sun.

1. Watching your personality form. You’re just about 5 months old and you’re already so happy. You’re silly, curious, intent and independent. My heart can(t) take it. You’re so beautiful sweetie. I can tell you already have a kind heart and a special kind of sweetness in your soul that’s one of a kind.

2. You make me feel feelings I never knew I could feel. From the literal pain of 36 hours of birth to the love and heart pounds I feel when I think about you, hold you or see your face, it’s so powerful. Ain’t nothing like a mother’s love.

3. You make me want to be a better person. I am your first role model and I’m prepared to take on the job. You’re going to keep me on my toes. To stop swearing, to eating healthier, not smoking cigarettes, being nice… I never want to fail you. I promise you I will always try to be the best version of myself for you.

4. I always have a friend. Someone who wants to hold my hand and share their day with me. You’ll always have my back and I’ll have yours. 

5. You make me appreciate my mom more. I’m constantly putting myself in her (Gigi’s) shoes now. Thinking about how I was when I was a baby..and even when I think ahead to your teenage years, I feel so bad about the attitude and under-appreciation I had for her. Since recently going through birth and caring for you.. my baby who is 100% dependent on me… I now know how much sweat, blood, love, work and tears goes into bringing a child into the world and to raise them. Sorry I was such a turd mom! Maxly always be kind to me and your Gigi!

6. Your noises. From your coos, your laughter and your fake cries; they’re music to my ears. My favorite is when you talk… especially when you’re talking at the television. It’s so so funny. I can’t wait to show you videos when you’re older. Your favorite show is Sesame Street and you get so excited when Big Bird or Elmo comes on screen.

7. All of the kisses. The wet drooly smooches, yes please! The ones where you nuzzle your face into my neck after I give you neck kisses first. But my favorite are the open mouth kisses that you and I only share. (Whenever anyone else kisses you you scrunch up your nose and look downward.)  You close your mouth for everyone else except me. I give you a nice loud “muah” right on your mouth and there’s something about the echo that you just love. To be fair, I love it too.

8. Your smell. Now maybe it’s still that new baby smell but I know as time passes, depending on whatever phase you’re going through, or the bath wash we use etc, there will always be a certain scent that will remind me of you, forever.

9. Butts. I like butts. Maybe not as much as Tina Belcher but I like them. Especially your butt. I love your baby butt. It’s so freaking cute and dimply. Ahhh!

10. Watching you laugh. The things that make you giggle are so simple and I love that. You makes me appreciate the little things and find humor where maybe I usually wouldn’t. I can’t wait to see what you continue to find funny along the way.

11. Water Baby. Giving you a bath is one of our more intimate times. Very one on one. Watching you in the water is amazing, I hate the saying but you really are like a little fish. The only word I can think of to describe you during tubby time is joyous. You kick your entire body off of your mesh bath seat so just your head is afloat. And you lay for a second and then splash, kick, smile, laugh, repeat. You love it. I think I made the perfect beach baby, thank goodness!

12. Talking in your sleep. This is new as of last night. You legit talk in your sleep like how you baby talk to me or to the tv. It’s so cute! A little creepy but still funny nonetheless because along with your “words” you’re smirkin’ in your sleep.

13. The fact that I made you. Literally I grew every inch of you. Your toes, your eyeballs, your tummy! To look at you I think “wow, holy shit, I grew you from literally nothing, birthed you and here you are.” It’s pretty damn amazing.

14. The fact that you know I’m your mother. I don’t need to explain this one.

15. Watching you sleep. You sleep like me – a monster. You’re all over the bed…arms over your face or up over your head, blankets kicked off. You’re a riot.

16. Looking at you and seeing pieces of your father. You are your father’s daughter.

17. Looking at you and seeing pieces of your mommy – me. You are your mother’s daughter. 

18. Watching you make new discoveries. Just this past week you’ve discovered you have legs, feet and toes. It’s pretty amazing how it amuses you are. You’ll lay there and just hold your legs up. I timed it today. You held those bad boys up there for eight straight minutes. That’s pretty impressive for anyone really.

19. Your facial expressions. You are so animated.

20. Your love for animals. It started out slow but now that you’re more interactive you’re reaching and petting the dog and the cats! You’re starting to love them but they love you. You love to watch them and love kisses from Minnie. I can’t wait to see what you think if our tortoise!

21. When you mimic. (This could be fun) I saw a video the other day of a mom who taught her one year old to be a zombie… that’ll be us.

22. Your love for music. When I was pregnant I would sing to you, blast the radio, hum, drum the bump. If it dealt with tunes, you were involved. (Although I guess you didn’t have much of a choice haha.) Even now if you get fussy I just turn on the record player and you’re happy as a clam.

23. Your sleep habits. Thank you for sleeping 12 hours a night.

24. The fact that you miss me as much as I miss you. The past few days you’ve been at Gigi’s because of my ankle injury. But today you came home and you were just as happy to see me as I was you! Smiles and hugs all around.

25. You make things that can be difficult easy for. Along with the amazing sleep you’ve been giving me pretty much since birth, you’re so cooperative with many other things too, like getting your nails cut / filed. I think you like it actually. Can’t wait till we can get some mommy daughter mani pedis.

26. You’re my daughter. You are you my love. My first born, the original. There’s only one of you and that’s the best thing you can offer the world, just exactly who you are – never forget that baby girl. Always be you and you’ll always be loved. 

The Paramount of Kids Growing Up With Pets

Eight ways animals are positive and gratifying for children.

I grew up in a household where there was always two dogs, two cats, fish and when I got a little bit older, a rabbit and hamsters. I always had a (furry) friend. As I grew up and moved out of my parents house I continued to own animals. Still to this day I  have a love in my heart for all creatures especially my chihuahua, two cats and tortoise. Along side me and my pets live my three month old daughter and my fiance. Him and I were just having a conversation how he is so happy that our little girl will be able to grow up in a house of animals because they will teach and benefit her in their own special ways. He, among many people grew up deprived from the gift of pets. People do not realize how important a cat or a dog really is for a person let alone little kid. They impact your life from the first second they enter and for everyday beyond the time they exit.

• Companionship. Not only does a pet act as a great filler for a best friend, they’re an even better filler as a fur brother/sister, especially if you’re an only child. I myself do have an actual sister but I was an only child for the first eight years of my life. My Dachshund Sammy was my absolute best friend from birth until she passed away when I was five. I was devastated and so lonely so soon after my parents got a new Dachshund buddy named Oliver, Ollie for short. Ollie lived until my senior year of high school but was still one of my best friends even though I wasn’t a little girl anymore. Same thing with my childhood cat Motz. It’s absolutely amazing the comfort and love you feel with an animal and the unbreakable bond that’s formed.
• Compassion. Having a pet is an amazing way for a child to learn empathy. To pick up signals and be able to read those signals of another living thing, to actually grasp how they’re feeling… incredible. Are they happy? Are they sad? Are they hungry? Do they have to go to the bathroom? And what the child can do for said pet once they realize the pet is in need, whether it’s dire or not. It’s a truly beautiful experience for the child, the pet and you to watch as a parent / guardian.
• Unconditional Love. How can you rob your child of unconditional love? I myself am lucky enough to have parents who are still married but if you’re going through a divorce, it has a huge impact on your child. And even though the divorce is not their fault, kids tend to blame themselves and feel less loved by mom or dad. Having a pet that is always there to love and listen to them is crucial. Unconditional love is priceless. Even if you’re not divorced, kids are still going to feel emotional and upset from time to time, whether they’re “mad” at you or maybe a bully said something to them at school…. to be able to come home and turn to their dog, it’ll only raise their spirits and keep their self-esteem high.
• Responsibility. I’m not saying go out and buy your toddler a lizard and expect it to be the reptiles sole provider…but if you have a cat or a dog then having the child help feed him/her, scoop their liter box, brush the animal, etc. then the child quickly learns about chores and to physically care for another living creature. Responsibility will fall on mom and dad too though of course. Your child is a child and is still learning, so make sure the pet in the household is appropriate for the child’s age! Unless of course, you have 100% done your research and plan to care for the animal as well. As I mentioned earlier, I own a Russian Tortoise, which requires specific care. I will eventually have my daughter help me feed her, give her a bath and walk her around outside. But I would never expect or let her be Olive’s sole caregiver. At least not when she’s a child. That’d just be foolish.
• Pets keep kids healthy. There is certainly a reason to believe there’s a relation between owning pets and shielding kids from certain illnesses. In Parent’s magazine, The Benefits of Pet’s it states, “When a child plays with a dog or a cat, the animals usually lick him,” he says. “That lick transfers bacteria that live in animals’ mouths, and the exposure to the bacteria may change the way the child’s immune system responds to other allergens.” Pretty crazy huh? But it makes sense. According to Dr. Ownby, a pediatrician and head of an allergy and immunology department of the Medical College of Georgia, “having multiple pets actually decreases a child’s risk of developing certain allergies. His research tracked a group of 474 babies from birth to about age 7. He found that the children who were exposed to two or more dogs or cats as babies were less than half as likely to develop common allergies as kids who had no pets in the home. Children who had animals had fewer positive skin tests to indoor allergens—like pet and dust-mite allergens—and also to outdoor allergens such as ragweed and grass. Other studies have suggested that an early exposure to pets may decrease a child’s risk of developing asthma.” 
• Inspiration. Animals will pretty much go along with anything. And I mean ANYTHING. I used to push my kitty Motz around in my baby doll stroller for hours. I’m sure he didn’t love it but he let me do it because he loved me, he was one of my best pals. My animals allowed my mind and body to wander, to play! Indoors and outdoors. I always had indoor cats (because my outdoor ones got hit by cars, so sad) but my doggies were always great outdoor playmates! Although nowadays if you have an indoor cat, just get it a leash! It’s currently trending and apparently cats dig it.
• The will to learn. I have only owned a handful of breeds of dogs, but I can give you the rundown of practically every breed and every breeds mannerisms. Like people, I always wanted to know more about them. Same goes for why I own a tortoise. Olive is my first ever reptile and I did some serious groundwork before committing myself to her. Owning pets as a child could also spark the will to not just learn on such a mediocre level but on a collegic level as well. Maybe kids will grow into young adults with a dream of helping animals and then continue on into adulthood to research in Animal Science, Veterinary, Marine Biology, join PETA etc.
• Death. Maybe it sounds morbid but just as life happens so does death. Animals are great tools to teach children about the lesson of death. As I mentioned earlier, my dog  Sammy was my best friend but she died of cancer when I was five. She was the only living thing in my life that I had ever known that had died. Sammy taught me love, compassion, companionship, responsibility, inspiration and in her last lesson, taught me how to cope with death.

It is so important for kids to have a partner in crime to share special moments in life. Growing up I had a ton of friends who didn’t have pets and they loved coming over to see and play with all of my animals. They were envious. My daughter (and future kids if I do have more) will never be without that love, our house will always be filled with pets.