Mommy Ever After » first birthday

Super.

mommyeverafter — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 02:18:20 +0000

This weekend my baby turned one.
I type these words with tears in my eyes. Some are happy tears, some are grateful tears, and some, I will admit, are wistful.
My son; this child of mine has surprised me from the very beginning.
He surprised me when I peed on a stick and saw two lines. Really? But it happened so fast.
And then he surprised me when the ultrasound tech, during my 12 week scan, told me that he saw “something between the legs”. He surprised me by being a boy.
He surprised me by being in the transverse position in my belly.
He surprised me at 4 am, 4 days before his scheduled C-Section, by waking me with painful contractions.
He surprised me by having a prominent cleft chin, bright blue eyes and golden red hair.
And the list goes on and on.
So now this little baby, my once tiny, almost 8 lb bundle whom I held in the delivery room just an hour after his birth, as he latched on like a pro and nursed, making me feel whole and at home, is no longer tiny. Quite the opposite, in fact. He is a boy. He stands on his own two feet (literally). He is on the verge of walking. He says real words.
He eats pulled pork and an avocado a day and squeals for seaweed.
He knows how to work the tv remote.
And so, in order to honor our boy, we decided that he needed a little reminder of just how special he is.
It feels as though I was just writing about my daughter’s first birthday. I wrote about themes and there was fanfare.
But for my son, for obvious reasons, we kept it small. Just his baby friends and our parents.
But just because it was small, it does not mean that it was not mighty.

We gave my son a Halloween party; We all dressed as super heroes and he danced along as we sang “Happy Birthday” and he face-planted into his cake and it was amazing.
But was more amazing was that I realized the strength of the team that surrounded me; My dearest friends who became family in the past year; The babies whom I get to raise as my children’s cousins. I love them so much. They’ve made me an aunt.
Because we made a family for ourselves. And my family is strong. They have exhibited superhuman strength in the past year,
like nothing I have ever seen before.
When I needed help, my friends and family rallied around me like this incredible, nurturing, giving, selfless Justice League.
My team is stupendous. They are super, indeed.
Happy First Birthday to the sweetest boy I have ever known.
You are strong, yet gentle,
sensitive and smiley,
and you have made me who I am today.
The sky’s the limit, kid.
I can’t wait to see where this world takes you. Or, more appropriately,
where you take this world.

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It’s my Blogiversary and I’ll give thanks if I want to.

mommyeverafter — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:51:37 +0000

Happy Blogiversary, friends!
Here! I’ve baked you these cupcakes*!
Take a bite. Put your feet up. Stay a while.
Truly, it is hard for me to believe that it has been a year since I typed my first entry of Mommy, Ever After. I remember that day perfectly. What seemed like a spontaneous decision was actually born out of so many things that had been building inside of me; I had so much to say; I had so much material; I was living, daily, in a hybrid between a zany sitcom, a reality tv show and scary movie. No other mothers around me were talking honestly about how hard this whole motherhood (especially new motherhood) thing can be. Yes, it’s beautiful and amazing and the most wonderful thing I’ve ever done. But it’s also scary and lonely and can feel overwhelming. It can make you feel crazy.
And I so I wrote it. I let it all hang out. I chronicled the first year of my life in The Land of Mom.
I wrote my daughter’s baby book.
And I found so much love.
I found love in your amazing comments. Truly, each and every one of your incredible words of kindness and support made my day. Made my year.
I found love in the little things in my life; the tiny vignettes that shaped our days and made each breath so beautiful.
I found love in so many feathers.
I found love in words. I loved writing, again. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for that.
As a side note, I recently found a children’s book I wrote in the sixth grade. It is called Best Friends Forever and it is about two mice who must fight injustice (in the form of a very scary alligator) in order to preserve their kinship. On the dedication page, I thanked my Mama for reading to me every night. I told her how grateful I was that she read me my very favorite book, Love You Forever. Imagine that.
I also wrote a blurb as my “Author’s Note”. I spoke of my favorite hobbies and interests (Singing, acting, shopping, writting. And basketball. Uhhh, ok?) and my goals for the future. I said that someday I dreamed of being a Broadway star or a famous author. Well, these days, my “performances” are limited to singing to my daughter, as she applauds and asks for “More! More! More!”. Not too shabby, I’d say. And as far as becoming a famous author, I still have quite a ways to go, but I’m getting there. And hey, I get to hit “Publish” each and every day. That is something.
That is everything.
So,
Thank you for every stolen moment on this site.
Thank you for being here, when you could have been anywhere else.
I love you.
I really do.
And so Happy, Happy Blogiversary to you. To me. To us. To everything in this crazy, amazing, beautiful
Ever After.
And Many More….
*Yes, I made these cupcakes, but since I’m all about keepin’ it real in these parts, I should tell you that these were actually made for my baby’s first birthday, 2 months ago. But that does not meant that I do not wholeheartedly encourage you to go out there and stuff your face with baked goods in our (your/my) honor. Please do. And tell me how it was.

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On my daughter’s Birthday,

mommyeverafter — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:39:07 +0000

I expected to take her to the zoo. Or to a kiddie theme park. Or to a parade, in her honor.
I expected to dress her in a tutu.
I expected to eat cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
But, my daughter’s birthday was the day of the first Passover Seder.
So, on my daughter’s birthday, we visited my parents to help them cook for 37 people,
and ended up eating Matzohball soup with my mom and dad, Mommom and Aunt,
while sitting on the floor,
atop an old blanket that was woven by my great-great-Aunt.
All 6 of us, sitting on that old blanket, laughing and loving.
I guess that says it all about the fabric of our family.
Not what I expected out of my daughter’s birthday.
Oh, but we did manage to eat cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
So, I guess it was a little of what I expected. And so much more.

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i’m a party girl, in my party world

mommyeverafter — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:09:30 +0000

J just sent me this photo, with the caption “We will make this for one of baby’s birthday parties!!!!!!!!!!!!”
(and yes, she did include this many exclamation points. I may have even edited some out. Maybe!!!!!!!)
You know how we feel about our pinatas.
It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who cares this much about parties.
And it’s really nice to know that I have a friend who cares this much about this little baby girl.

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