Mother + Child

Posted by Will on May 21, 2011

I am notoriously horrible with holidays. Ask around, they’ll tell you.

I think my apathy is even more inspired around the Hallmark holidays (e.g. Father’s Day, Valentines, etc.). Why is it that one day out of the year requires more urgency to express how you feel about someone? Sure, it could be a poignant yet shallow reminder to appreciate those that we have strong bonds with but shouldn’t we celebrate those relationships every day (not that we do)?

But, I do want to take this moment to step back and look on the past four months since Nola has joined our family.

I have said it once and I will say it again and again. Parenting is hard and I expect it to increase in difficulty as the years go by. But, I am fortunate I am not in it alone. I have a partner — a mother.

The strength of a mother really is incredible. She carries the child for the better part of a year. She then has to undergo physical and mental trauma to bring the child into the world. These are burdens that I will never know and frankly, I don’t know if I could handle them (for reference, see “The Toe Incident”). And all of that is just the beginning.

Since I have known Brittany, which, is hard for me to believe, has been for less than 7 years (it seems longer), she has made it known that she wanted to be a mother someday. As we have progressed through the stages of our relationship, and the time ticked away, she became very diligent in increasing her campaign to achieve this goal. You could say it was one of her passions although that might not be a strong enough word.

I always knew Brittany would be a good mother but in review, the strength and perseverance she has has been unearthly. Or at least, at levels I can’t fathom.

Being a good mother requires patience. A flaw we both obviously lack at times. Yet, with Nola, Brittany has an everlasting supply, even when mine runs short.

Being a good mother requires educating. Brittany is tirelessly educating herself with book and web resources and at the same time, continuously pushing Nola to learn through reading, exercise, and play. Sure, parenting does not come with a field guide but there is no reason to not saturate yourself with information. That being said, I think Britt knows when to put methods into practice and when to move on instinct.

Being a good mother requires love. It is different when you are in love with someone, varying from the declarative “I love you” assortment. Being in love requires a higher level of passion and concern. It is also an identifiable trait from third parties. Brittany is in love with Nola. It’s obvious from the way she nurtures her, plays with her, and talks to her. It’s also obvious that the love she has is growing every day.

In short, Brittany has been and will continue to be an amazing mother and regardless of time or occasion, her efforts and love should be celebrated. Parenting definitely gives you a lens on how you view life and the important things that go with it. My new perspective has been watching Brittany become a mother and flourish in the role.

2 Comments on this post | Published in Baby Bram, Photos, Short Essay