Ode to MY Mummy
So it has been 10 days since my mum (a.k.a mummy and now g-mummy) returned to South Africa after spending 7 weeks with us. Before she arrived, there was great concern that she wouldn't make it for the birth and I spent many anxious days, basically with my legs crossed, trying to keep Harry from making his entrance. Clearly we were waiting for her because less than 24 hours after she arrived I went into labor. Mummy ended up being in the delivery room with us. This was not a planned arrangement. But it couldn't have worked out better. Having her there with us made the experience all the better. Dan held one leg, she held the other. I couldn't have anticipated how much having her with us during that experience and Harry's first weeks at home deepened our relationship. She also "saved us" in some "middle-of-the-night-oh-my-god-we-can't-do-this-what-were-we-thinking: moments. They weren't frequent. But they were critical and it meant that we were able to get back to enjoying being parents all the sooner. Her being here to help us was also an opportunity for us to find our feet and ease into the parental routine - not something that is easy to do when one is sleep deprived and can't remember how to snap that gadget/gear thingy into the other gadget/gear thingy so we can take the baby out in the half hour window that we have before he needs to eat again.
The other aspect to going through this initial phase with her was that I came to appreciate all that she did with me. Yes, I know, this may sound cliched - saying that I now appreciate my mother. I appreciated her before this. But there is nothing like going through something oneself to really make one realize what it must have been like.
The long and the short is that it was great. I am SO glad that we had her here. I am SO glad that my relationship with her has benefited from going through this with her. We are going to miss her terribly now that she is back in the southern hemisphere and we can't wait until she comes back.
The other aspect to going through this initial phase with her was that I came to appreciate all that she did with me. Yes, I know, this may sound cliched - saying that I now appreciate my mother. I appreciated her before this. But there is nothing like going through something oneself to really make one realize what it must have been like.
The long and the short is that it was great. I am SO glad that we had her here. I am SO glad that my relationship with her has benefited from going through this with her. We are going to miss her terribly now that she is back in the southern hemisphere and we can't wait until she comes back.
posted by dan at 8:44 PM
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