My Name is Mama

"Oh, that's a nice drawing," I told the little boy in my first-grade class. "Are you done?"
"Just a minute," he said, "It's for my mom, I just need to write her name on it." Then he carefully scrawled, in his best six-year old writing, the letters "M-O-M."

My mind went back to an earlier conversation I had with my own daughter, who is his age. "Look Mama! I made this picture of you. It even has your name on it. See? It says 'Mama!' And I wrote 'I love you' a bunch of times because I love you a LOT!!"


That's when it dawned on me. To her, my name is Mama. The more I thought about it, the deeper I felt this statement. There's no other role I play that changes my entire name. I don't go by wife, or cousin, or teacher, though I am all of those things. I retain my identity, who I've been my whole life. But being a mom is different.  It's not just a part of my life - it changes all aspects of it. And it doesn't matter whether you carried your child for 9 months or you brought him home from 6,000 miles away. The moment you hold that child in your arms, a mama is born, and there's no turning back.

Mama cheers on other people's kids in t-ball, and wipes their faces after cotton candy. 
A mama's heart rages when she sees any kid being treated unfairly. 
Mamas cry at sad movies and movies with happy endings too. 
Some of mama's best friends are under 4 feet tall and live in her house. 

Being a mama changes who you are, and that's ok. I'm not Liz to my kids. My name is Mama, and I love it. They have no idea that I had imaginary friends to keep me company as a kid, or that I was class president in high school (some turnaround huh?), and they really don't care. I'm Mama, and that's all that matters. I'm the one that gets up with them in the middle of the night, who holds them when they're sick or afraid. When you're a mama, you might not get 8 hours of uninterrupted beauty sleep each night, but you don't mind [too much]. It's all part of being...who you are. Mama.

And while only time will tell, I suppose I'll probably stay a mama forever. If I'm anything like my mom (and I hope I am!) I'll go over to my daughter's house in twenty years or so and I'll instinctively pick up stray toys and help her fold the mound of laundry by the couch. Then I'll ask her how her day was and if she needs anything. Not because I have to, but because I'm her mama, and that's just what mamas do.


Question: How has being a mom changed you?

Comments

  1. Nice to meet you & your family :)

    I'm your newest Follower via Friday's Blog Hop and also think being a Mom is the most Awesome experience ever!

    I also co-host Wednesday's Block Party Hop if interested.. http://www.frugalplus.com/p/wednesdays-block-party-hop.html

    Have a Great Weekend!

    ~ Jill

    http://www.frugalplus.com/

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  2. Wonderful post! Being a mom has changed me forever. I lost a lot of my sense of self early on in motherhood but have gained so much more in exchange. Though I don't really know who I am outside of "mama' somedays, it seems to be the role that I play without much effort.. even on those days when I don't feel I can listen to ONE more story or answer ONE more question. This can bring ya down a bit until you take stock of yourself and see the other parts of yourself that have really grown. Patience was a big growth for me in the last nine years of parenthood! lol

    I'm your newest GFC follower from the Friday hop. Have a blessed weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Following from the blog hop, you have adorable girls! Hope you can stop by my page!

    Alicia
    Polka Dot Elephant
    http://www.blog.polkadotelephant.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. My husband and I were talking about this the other day. My girls definitely think "mommy" is my name and I kinda love it. I hope it stays that way forever.

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  5. Thanks for linking up at Count Your Blessings this weekend. Have a wonderful weekend!Tina “The Book Lady”
    http://hoildaygiftsandmore.blogspot.com

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  6. I love this post. After losing my mother and going through pictures and picking up so many pieces this idea that she was a completely different person before I knew her dawned on me. My dad too.

    It then occurred to me - this might be my prequel! In other words, when I began to learn more and more about each of my parents after their respective deaths, I felt like I was seeing a release of their prequel film! THE TIME BEFORE PARENTHOOD. That's where I am now - married, but still pre-child, so is this MY prequel??

    Just a thought I've had. And your post speaks to it, I think.

    Thank you for sharing this!!

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  7. I too am a homeschool mom, although two of my kids have graduated. I love being a mom. I waited for a long time to become a mother. There is nothing like it. Your post put it nicely. New follower!

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  8. what a great post. I love the name Mama and never ever get tired of hearing those words. New follower from Blog Hops everyday.

    www.imasillymami.com

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  9. What an adorable family you have! I bet they love calling you Mama and wouldn't have it any other way :)

    Thanks for linking up to Flutter By Friday last week, I featured you this week, hope you'll link up again!

    http://aleaciah.blogspot.com/2011/11/flutter-by-friday-114-come-link-up.html

    ~Aleacia @ I'm Bloggin'

    ReplyDelete

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