Hard to believe that a year ago today was my bridal shower. This year I have a 6-week-old son, and for the first time Mother's Day is a holiday meant for me.
Saturday was a beautiful day, so Joe suggested we head downtown for the afternoon and wander around. This is not an unusual thing for Joe to want to do, so I didn't have any idea that he had something up his sleeve until we actually got to the city and he didn't drive toward the usual spots. :) Instead he pulled up in front of a small chocolate shop where he had scheduled us for a factory tour, chocolate and wine tasting with the owner and chocolatier. The tasting was quite cool -- it wasn't just a grab-bag of free samples, rather, the guy explained all about the flavors and textures and what makes good chocolate, and how it should taste and feel in your mouth. Like a wine tasting (and in fact, we did taste 2 different wines, paired with chocolates), where you are supposed to taste the different flavors in different areas of your mouth. I'm not sure if I taste it quite the same way he does (at least not with the wines, although I did try!), but it was very interesting! And afterwards, Joe told me to pick out anything in the store as my Mother's Day gift, so I got one of each kind of truffle they sell. :-) I plan to eat one a day until they're gone. So far I've had one that was spicy (!), and today's I believe was a strawberry margarita truffle, which had sea salt on top. (Unfortunately I don't have a list of the flavors so I'm not sure which is which -- but that's part of the fun!) That was a unique and memorable way of giving chocolates for Mother's Day, and I loved it!
After that, we went out to dinner as a family (well, first I fed John in the car, and then he was quite pleasant while Joe and I ate), and then dropped in on Joe's parents since we happened to be in the area. I think having her grandson visit was all the Mother's Day gift my mother-in-law wanted. :-) It was a nice day!
Then yesterday, which was technically "really" Mother's Day, we had a nice low-key day. Went to Mass, did some grocery shopping, came home and relaxed. Joe made us pulled pork in Dinosaur BBQ sauce in the Crock Pot for dinner, which was quite tasty. And Joe and I played Baldur's Gate for a few hours, when we weren't playing with John that is. :-)
Motherhood is suiting me well so far, I think. People are always telling me that I will look back fondly on this time, lack of sleep and all, and I believe them. I marvel at John. One of the moms on campus said to me, "Couldn't you just stare at him all day?" Yes, I think I could. No, he doesn't really do much yet, but in the past week or so he's already becoming more responsive. His facial expressions have cracked me up from the start. Now he's experimenting with sounds. He focuses on things, waves his arms around and kicks his legs. He holds his head up when I put him up to my shoulder (though he refuses to do much when he's on his tummy).
When he's awake, the temptation is to put him down among his toys and hope he'll be satisfied with them for awhile so I can do something else. But laying there by himself is no fun because he can't manipulate the toys on his own. Wouldn't it be nice if I had some toy that would entertain him for me? But I don't, so I have to get down on the floor and shake the rattles myself, put them in his hands for him, show him stuffed animals and give them voices and guide his hands to touch them. I have to tickle him and touch his little cheeks and his tiny nose, stroke his head and let him push his feet against my hands. And you know what? Before I know it an hour has gone by. The dishes aren't done and I haven't showered, but what's more important? Playing with him is actually fun. He watches my face, "talks" to me, and reacts to things I do.
He smiles.
I remind myself to cherish each moment, because no other moment will be quite like the one I have right now.