I know I will be looking back as this year as a year of change.
Kathleen blithely started school, the boys are loosing their baby chubbiness and I can see the bones of adulthood starting to show in Peter’s almost 10 year old face. I find myself having to explain adult subjects like drugs and violence to the older three because they are no longer blissfully unaware of what is going on in the world.
Josh has changed careers. My career has been growing slowly to include a studio in the city and seeing my work published in several magazines.
Our little house, that would bought when Peter was a baby, that we have renovated, that we have celebrated every single holiday in; is now for sale and a new house is being bought. A larger house, a ‘dream’ house. A house our kids will have space to play, Josh and I will have room to entertain friends and family.
We are expecting another little one, with the realization that this will probably be the last baby for our family.
Cecilia is growing and developing to the beat of her own drum and teaching us to enjoy each day, to take things slower.
I look back over these past ten years and realized how much I have changed as a mother, wife and person. I was 23 when my name changed from Carla to Mom and now I am 33. I used to think that I had no identity outside of my children or careers. There were many times I had felt lost in my roles. And yet somewhere along the journey I did find myself. My hobby and ‘me’ time is my photography and my favourite subjects are my children. I am blessed to be able to document their days and moments. These past ten years have flown by so fast, and seeing that my boys now take the same size shoes as I do is a testament to this fact.
I have learned to slow down, calm down and worry a little less. Tantrums in stores don’t even phase me anymore. I have learned I need to fight and push to make sure my son’s special needs are met. I have learned that life is sweeter if we all grab a quilt, pile on the couch (yes, 6 people on ONE couch) watch a movie and ignore the pile of laundry. The laundry will be there tomorrow but my kids will be a bit bigger and that couch feels like it is getting smaller and smaller.
I have learned that I don’t need to throw Pinterest worthy birthday parties to make my kid’s lives magical, I just need to turn off their cartoons and tell them to go play.
Motherhood is hard, is beautiful, it is bittersweet and it ends too soon. My goal is to teach my children to find happiness and love. Two gifts they have given me.
[…] Year Ten – Ten Years of Motherhood […]