Happy (Almost) Mother's Day!

Dear Mommy-to-be,

also see in Parenting: Ten Principles of Good Parenting Child Development

I wanted to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day, even though you are not quite a mom yet. I am still inside of you, so technically, it is not a “Mother’s Day”.

You are in a limbo state – not quite a “mom”, yet not “not a mom”. You can still go out to a movie without the added $30 for a babysitter and can still dance the night away with Dad. But you gave up the windsurfing trip to Baja, and the skiing trip to Lake Tahoe because it just wasn’t worth the risk.

You rang in the New Year, but it was with sparkling cider instead of your traditional champagne.

Thank you for everything you are doing for me. Thank you for taking care of yourself, for slowing down when you’re tired, and for eating the right foods. Thank you for drinking that glass of water when what you really want is a glass of wine. Thank you for reading your pregnancy and baby books so you can be prepared for my arrival.

You may yearn to be considered a full-fledged ‘mother’, but don’t rush it. For a few more months, you have your life to yourself. You can go grocery shopping without considering my nap schedule. You can make a spur-of-the-moment decision to run into a pizza shop or a gift shop without having to consider if it’s worth waking a sleeping baby in the back seat. You can spend an hour on Sunday morning reading the newspaper – with no interruptions!

After I am born, you will not be able to look at the world in the same way. The sight of an Afghanistan orphan or a Hallmark commercial will bring you to tears. The thought of the 31 women who gave birth to their babies after their husbands’ perished on September 11th will bring tears to your eyes for the rest of your life.

You are not technically a ‘mom’, but in every way you are my whole life. Without you, I would not survive. You are, without a doubt, the most important person in my life, and I love you.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mommy!