Today is Mother’s Day! It is a day filled with memories and laughter, thankfulness and appreciation. It is truly a priceless experience in every way– the most humbling, challenging, and fulfilling of all the experiences in my life.

As I have gotten older, and more importantly, once I became a mother myself I personally found the true meaning of a mother. Growing up, I always knew my mom was there for my sisters and I. No matter what was needed, she could provide it. Today, and every day, I am eternally grateful for my mom who taught me how to be a mother by her shining example. I am grateful for the constant love and support she provides my family and I. I am grateful for our mother-daughter relationship. I don’t know what I would do without her. It took becoming a mom myself to make me truly realize what motherhood truly meant. It’s the little, everyday things that really sum up motherhood for me. They might not be the biggest or the most obvious, but they’re real life:

It means sleepless nights and pure exhaustion when babies need multiple feedings a night.
It means stepping back and letting your child make a mistake to learn a lesson.
It means waking up at night multiple times to check on your child to make sure he is breathing, because even at 3 years old I still can't shake that mom paranoia that he'll stop breathing in his sleep.
It means quietly crying alone in your room so that you can be the strong one when your child needs it most, even as your heart breaks.
It means knowing that the world is not fair and that there is nothing you can do to change that.
It means taking the higher road when all you want to do is shout what’s truly on your mind but can’t because you are the adult.
It means having a phone so clogged up with so many photos and videos of your child that it can barely cope with making a call. But being unable to delete a single one of them.
It means replying to texts and emails hours, if not days, late.
It means feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
It means perfecting your poker face. Things kids say will make you laugh when you probably shouldn’t. As they age, you will hear things that will shock you but you try to keep your jaw closed.
It means seeing the good and the bad in your children. Let’s face it, no one is perfect.
It means putting your wants and needs aside because your child always comes first.
It means sacrifice.
It means staying up to date with social media and being vigilant when your kids reach the age to have an account.
It means unconditional love and pride.
It means seeing things through different perspectives.
It means joy.
It means staying young at heart.
It means trust.
It means a bond that nothing can break.
It means creating memories that you hope will bring comfort to your kids someday.
It means forgiveness.
It means devotion.
It means love.

As you already know, this year will be my last Mother’s Day as a mama of one, and I plan on enjoying my time with my baby boy as much as possible. I plan on spending the day with Mason and hubby just taking it easy and doing the things we love doing together– playing in the backyard with dirt, blowing bubbles, having a yummy brunch at a local cafe, and running around together at the park!

I want to wish all the mamas out there a very Happy Mother’s Day!

How are you planning on spending your Mother’s Day? What are you most grateful for today?

xoxo, Salpie

Happy Mother's Day