I remember my first Mother’s Day. My daughter had just been born. A soft and tiny miracle. I inhaled her fresh baby scent and enjoyed being a Mom for the first time; a mere two days after she came into our life.
My Mom brought me a little corsage to wear that Sunday. I even kept it, all dried up, with my daughter’s baby keepsake things.
And now, twenty years later, I spend her first Mother’s day with her, her daughter, and my Mom-in-law (who I call Mom too!). As in… she is my Mom, too.
We visited the beautiful Weston Gardens in Bloom in Fort Worth, Texas. We sat among the flowers and listened to harp and violin music play. The notes sounding even more classical in the setting. We sipped on a variety of teas and nibbled on cookies. We even got to pick out a free Mother’s Day plant for being there. A gift to remember…to nurture and take care of. No wonder they gave them to Moms.
I have to say…this place is gorgeous. Every area you go to is like a different room in a different garden. I would love to go back before it gets super hot to explore some more. I really only scratched the surface of this place.
I took some photos of Sydney and Averey. Nothing formal as Sydney worked earlier in the day and she is still wearing her “uniform”.
But I didn’t want to forget her first Mother’s Day with Averey. And my heart soared a bit that she shared her special Mother’s Day with her own Mom, too.
I’d say it is a tradition we haven’t missed yet. Twenty years, if you are counting…
Hope you had a fabulous weekend. I hope you hugged a Mother (or two).
If you can believe it, we are on the last two weeks before my daughter becomes a mom and I become a Grammy. It all zoomed by so fast…….
This YEAR zoomed by so fast.
I don’t even know what to say……but wow!
Our beautiful cousins hosted her baby shower at the Church Jason and I got married in. They made all the decorations and put it all together. They did an amazing job. It was a wonderful shower with lots of family and friends.
Momma and Baby Zebra…Awe!!
I framed Sydney’s favorite photo for the shower.
I love this wall behind the Church. The light was a little bright that time of day.
Lover the look on their faces. ;-D
Smell the diaper game. Melted Chocolate candies in different diapers. You had to guess what kind.
She does not look 8 mos pregnant.
I have not been doing much photography lately (aka…I’m rusty!). There has just been too much going on. I visited my sister for her 50th birthday end of June. We had the girls for the month of July. I’ve helped Sydney shop and get rooms ready. Baby has a place here and at her boyfriends, but Sydney is official living at his house now.
Through my hidden tears while she packed, I told myself this is what kids do. They grow up and move out. In my head I am so proud of her, but my heart misses her more than anything. I get the empty in empty nesters now. It’s not a room that is empty, it is a place inside your soul.
But she is opening a new and exciting chapter and I am so happy for her. Motherhood! I have watched her week to week grow and change – both physically and emotionally. Pregnancy is an amazing transformation.
So, here we are. All ready for baby…and now we wait.
When someone rejoices with you, because your joy can’t be contained…
From all ends of the spectrum. Blessings are no joke. They sneak up on you and they make you realize how grateful you really are. Truly grateful for all the big and small things life throws your way.
When my very young (but grown) daughter told me she might be pregnant about two months ago…
…I was not angry, upset, or sad for her.
What I felt……..was joy.
I KNOW. Nothing is an accident. People make mistakes, but God doesn’t.
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. -Psalms 139:13-16
News to share….
Countdown to parenthood a little over FOUR months. Get ready kids. 🙂
And here they are…two months after she told me.
Sydney’s belly is really growing fast at this point. We didn’t want to announce it all too soon. Of course, we told family right away, but not the general public/social media avenues.
Til now that is…
Which is why I can share my unexpected blessing with all of you. I am going to be a GRAMMA with a grandchild! OMG!
And honestly? I can’t wait.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” Jeremiah 1:5
Easter Weekend 18 Weeks.
It is just hard to believe my BABY is having a BABY. It took me several weeks to really process that. I am not ready for her to be all grown up and a mommy *cry!*.
But she is going to be…..no matter if I am ready or not.
We are doing weekly photos throughout her pregnancy. This one will be all hooked together like a movie watching her belly grow. I found that on Pinterest, because Pinterest is awesome like that.
Of course, I have BIG photo plans for the baby when he/she gets here. No, we don’t know what it is yet. And yes, we will find out. Apparently gender reveal parties are all the rage these days. Not to mention, Sydney and I went to Buy Buy Baby a few weeks ago, it was our first outing for baby and we had to buy something. As in – yes this is real and we are buying a baby thing – but there were very few non-gender things. We settled for a long-sleeve white onsie. Awh.
We told the little girls tonight. I had no idea how to do it. They are six and eight years old. Smart as little whips, but I think I will leave the birds and the bees talk to their mom. Heh.
I showed them a photo of Sydney at week 18 (above) and then I said, “Do you notice anything?” After a minute or two, one of them said, “Welllllll, her belly looks bigger.” I breathed a sigh of relief and then displayed on my phone the sonogram photo next to Sydney’s belly.
This was taken week 16 and the sonogram photo is at about 8 weeks.
I said, “Do you know what THAT is?”
Surprisingly the six-year old answered. “A BABY!?!”
Hands clapped over mouths in surprise, as they looked at each all wide-eyed. Then Bridget questioned aloud, “Is she married?” It made me smile because that is such a six-year old thing to say. So sweet and innocent, and no, they are not married yet and may not be for a few more years (I hope). I want Sydney to finish college and both of them to have jobs and a home, etc…etc.
Then I told them, “You two are gonna be AUNTS!” Except I pronounced it the North East way Aunt, not Ant like we say here. They have Aunts, we have Ants. I think Bridget declared she didn’t want to be an Aunt. Molly giggled some more, and proclaimed she would be a fourth grade Aunt standing up tall and holding her chest out. I think she will make a very fine Aunt.
But when I told them their Dad was going to be a GRANDPA???
It got REAL.
And they laughed, and laughed, and laughed. Molly had TEARS streaming down her face, because apparently, Daddy being a Grandpa is flippin’ hilarious.
I think we are all still smiling. I hope you are too.
Living, Loving, Laughing.... 