Skip to main content

Memory Loss

I was forwarded this article by the hubs' sister-in-law, Mary (a fellow mommy).  Please read it before continuing on with my post.

This article is the EXACT reason I have my blog.  I know the blog's inception was pre-baby Bug conception and more accurately, post-wedding, but I vowed to write as much as I could about my experiences because of things like this.  Being a new mommy is tough.  It could be comparable to jumping into the deep dark waters of the ocean without knowing how to swim.  A serious exaggeration.  (Sort of.)  No matter how much you know about mommyhood or children, you will never be prepared for your own.  For some strange reason you could handle all of the kids you've babysat, all of the cousins you helped take care of, and even all the kids you may work with as a teacher.  However, you will never be able to prepare yourself for your kids because in all honesty, your kids are your's...24 hours a day, 7 days a week...and unlike the teachers who send their kids off with their parents around 3pm when all the tantrums begin, you get to keep your's.  You are that mother that relieves the school teachers, the day care teachers, and the babysitters.  

So why so much emphasis on being unprepared?  Well, because as we try to prepare for kids, we depend on the advice of our mothers, grandmothers, fellow mommy friends, and doctors.  Unfortunately, mothers and grandmothers suffer from memory loss.  They have forgotten the unbearable cries in the middle of the night, the tantrums, and the mischief of all little children.  Their only sole recollection of their children is that they were amazing kids.  Truly.  I'm not one to argue because I'm pretty sure I was one amazing baby/kid/TEEN (especially teen)/adult myself.  I think it's God's gift to all mothers that they can forget the pain of labor and child rearing.  

I find that even I ask my mother questions about Bug and how I was compared to her and although my mom will add a few tidbits about my bossy personality, she seems to think, as most mothers do (after years of recovery), that her children were amazing and rarely threw fits, slept through the night from day 1, and ate anything that was put on our plates.  Moms are great, right? :P  That's why you have to love them for it, but that's also why I have to record all of my experiences on this blog- so Bug will know just how amazing she really was as a baby...all the "amazing" restless nights, dancing time, reading time, messy meal time...everything.  I don't want to leave one bit out! :)
We take on this challenge of motherhood because in the end there will be an endless amount of "thank you's", right?  Sure, maybe in 20-30 years.  (Sorry so late on that, Mama!)  No, we take it on because in the end, nothing will ever replace the endless amount of giant hugs from small arms, slobbery open mouth kisses, and "I wub you, Mama's".  It truly is worth it. It's just the hardest experience you'll ever have to go through.

Short letter from Mama to Bug:

To my Bug-a-Boo, 
I love you more than words could ever express.  You make my life more whole than I ever could have imagined.  You truly are a blessing...even on the days you won't nap.
Love, Mama.
So when does the memory loss begin?  :)  I can't wait!

God Bless,
Kat

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 month Cub (9, 10, 11 too)

Clearly I've missed a few monthly updates of the Cub.  I apologize.  We were busy and life has literally taken us for a whirlwind ride.  To be really honest, I lost a lot of motivation to write these past few months because I've every time I started to write, all I could think to write about was my grandpa, Papang, how much I've missed him, and the endless tears that came out when I thought of him.  Every time I reflected back on the moments with my kids and my family, I seemed to cry, thinking of how much he's missed even in the short 5 months he's been gone.  After months of tears and prayers, I feel like I'm officially starting to feel like I'm healing.  While I know I may not heal completely, I can function without tears flowing from my eyes every moment of silence. Cubby has grown quite a bit (to say the least) since my 3 month update.  Here is the gentle giant's growth in months 4, 5, 6, and 7. This weekend, Cubby turned 8...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Kinder Grad

Kindergarten can really take a toll on the parents.  (Yes, I meant to say parents.)  I knew we were in for a lot of activities and volunteering, but I did NOT know that it would become a second job to be an involved school parent.  I was told that by volunteering and being involved, it would give your kids (and their classmates) all the benefits.  At a private school (especially a Catholic private school), if there aren’t any volunteers, there aren’t many activities.  So ultimately, I knew I had to participate.  Could I have cut down on the activities I chaired or took part in?  Sure.  Why didn’t I?  [Insert long sigh here.]  Because in the end, I realized that I wasn’t sending my child to a private school because it was better than the public schools in the area.  (We actually have great public schools in our district.)  I was sending my child to a private Catholic school so she could learn about her faith.  The most imp...
Post a Comment
Read more

9 years later...

This is the story of a dentist-in-waiting-nomad, Angela (a.k.a. my sister, "Ate"-[for those who don't speak Filipino, pronounced "a-teh"]) and a basketball playing of an engineer. Freshman year: boy sees girl and never speaks to her. Senior year: boy befriends girl's sister and gets his chance. A winter formal came along. Boy asked. Girl accepted. Boy meets girl's brothers (eek!), mom, and dad (EEK!). They danced. Girl moves to San Francisco, then San Jose. Boy moves to San Jose. Boy moves back to Valencia. Girl stays in San Jose. This summer, girl will move back to Valencia. Soon, boy and girl will finally be getting married! 9 years later! I have yet to express how excited I am that my sister and Louie are finally getting married. (Not that they needed to tie the knot to officially make Louie a part of our family.) For nine years, Louie has become another big brother to me and an Uncle "Looouuuwweeeee" to my nieces- always willing to d...
3 comments
Read more