Welcome to Teenage-hood:: Motherhood Monday

During my second pregnancy,  I had many fears and worries. I often wondered how I could ever love another child as much as the first.  Welcoming that first baby into your heart creates feelings in us we never even knew existed.  The center of my universe literally shifted and changed course.   So with baby number two, I was afraid that my universe wouldn't be able to adapt to another center.  After all, I am the oldest in my family and I always thought my parents loved me the most.

Silly me.  

The moment in that delivery room I learned how mothers with several children are capable of loving more than one.  When they laid this beautiful baby in my arms, I felt it.  My universe shifted to have not one, but two centers to orbit.  

Becoming the mother to this boy gave me something I didn't know I had inside me.  I found the courage to make the hardest decision of my life.  

Dear sweet son, 

Today is a big milestone for you.  You are now a member of an often-feared group of people.  You, my sweet son, are now a teenager.   While that means there are many changes ahead of us and more than our share of disagreements, one that thing that will NEVER change is the fact that I love you more than life itself.  

Even when you are driving me crazy (mostly because you remind me mostly of myself), I would give the world for you. 

Your love of sports amazes me.  I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time, but you?  Are truly in your element with a basketball in your hand.   The confidence you show on a court is one I hope you learn in every aspect of your life.  

You amaze me every day.  Instead of viewing your position as the middle child in the family order as difficult, you've turned it into a positive outlook.  For you, the middle child is like the best part of the Oreo:: the filling.  While you aren't the oldest or the youngest, you are the only one to be BOTH a big and little brother.  

I hope today's milestone birthday is everything you hope it to be.  

Becoming your mother gave me more courage than I knew.  Thank you, sweet boy.  I hope I am half as good of a mother that you deserve.  

Birthday # Eleven

Birthday # Twelve