We’re just five days shy of Mother’s Day! What do you guys have planned? My mom is one of my favorite people to shop for. It didn’t always used to be that way but over the years I’ve learned to really nail a gift with her, and I can’t wait for her to see what’s in store this year. But before we get to all of that, I decided to do something a little extra special. A few weeks back Joanna challenged readers to interview their parents. I immediately attached to the idea and thought an interview with my mom would be so fun- and make for perfect blog content around Mother’s day. Below are seven questions I posed to my mom all about getting pregnant, being a parent and raising kids:
Did you always know you wanted to have kids?
Yes, I always thought that I would like to have children and being an only child made me want to have at least two kids. It’s funny only children often wish they had siblings and children from big families dream of being only children. I think I would have had more children, but since I got started a bit late and Dad was older we stopped at two. It wasn’t until Aunt Kathryn passed away that I got serious about having children. At the time I think I was channeling her and I know she regretted not having any. Of course, Grandma was also nudging me.
Who was the first person you told when you were pregnant?
Dad was the first person I told. My first pregnancy was a surprise, not that I wasn’t intending to get pregnant, but that it happened much sooner than I expected. Dad had a show in Rome so we took the opportunity to travel to Egypt and Turkey before going to Rome. It wasn’t unitl we got home that I realized something was up. I thought my cycle was off because of the traveling, it never occurred to me that I might be pregnant. I didn’t go through the awful periods of nausea that trouble many women. I was lucky, most of the time I felt wonderful being pregnant.
When you first found out you were pregnant, did you hope for a boy or a girl? Be honest!
The first time, honestly, it did not matter and not to Dad either. Because of my “advanced maternal age” I did the amniocentesis test and we opted to find out the gender. You know me, I’m not fond of surprises. The second time I did entertain a very small and secret hope for a boy thinking it would be nice to have one of each.
Were you scared to become a mom?
I don’t think I was scared to become a mom, I think I was unprepared, but that is fairly typical of first time moms. Once you arrived I think I was nervous about some things. A newborn baby is a fragile little person so I felt super protective. Those instincts you observe in creatures on the Animal Planet suddenly become very real and personal. It’s fascinating how so many feelings like that suddenly come into play.
What’s one thing you wished you knew before becoming a mom?
Gosh, hindsight is a huge topic. The first thing that comes to mind is how children are ever-evolving. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up, just when you feel like you have a handle on a certain stage, kids are onto the next thing.
What’s the best part about being a mom?
Having children is an incredible journey. As corny as it sounds, the whole process of being pregnant and giving birth gave me a sense of awe. It really put me in touch with the process of life in such a visceral way, one that I never imagined. But I think the best thing of all is the mother/child bond. It’s the stuff of legends, I guess, but it’s really true. It’s unconditional love.
What’s the hardest part?
One of the most difficult parts is finding a balance in your life while raising children. The demands can be all consuming at times. I think it’s important to step away, to get some down time. Grandmothers are great subs!
I loved reading through these. My mom and I are really close, but there were definitely a few surprises in here! Like the fact that her first pregnancy was sort of a surprise and that she secretly hoped for a boy her second time around. Do you know your mom’s answers to these questions? What would she say? Ugh, moms are just the best. Huge thanks to mine for doing this!
