Mother's Day

On top of the big grassy hill on Granville Island

My first Mother's Day was perfect.

After strawberries and waffles at my brother's house (with my sister-in-law, nephew and my parents), Orlando and I drove around the city. The babies were so peaceful and fell asleep as we drove through downtown, Kits and then out to UBC. They napped in the car as Orlando and I drove, holding hands and whispering.

We drove into Granville Island and the babies woke up, so we parked and walked around. I found a necklace and earings set, circular crystals that shine all colours in the sunlight. I bought them for myself so I could always be reminded of my first Mother's Day. To me, the circles symbolize endless love and motherhood. My mother is a grandmother, I am now a mother of two daughters and they themselves may someday become mothers. The girls love the shiny necklace. When I'm laying or sitting near them, they crawl over to me, pull themselves right up and want to look closely at it. With their little faces so still and near to mine, I get a opportunity to snuggle and admire them up close.

I haven't felt so present in a long time. I remember during pregnancy, really marinating in the calm before the storm. Everything was bright, vivid, clear. Since having the babies every day is a tired, foggy haze. On Mother's Day, I absorbed every moment, locking it up in my mind so I'll never forget how things are right now. Trees and flowers in bloom, blues skies, the vision of my sweet girls sleeping in the back seats, daddy making the girls giggle like crazy by running with the stroller, twirling around with Lena amid the cherry blossoms, watching Carmy pull out little tiny fistfuls of grass and trying to eat clovers.  My babies are 9 months old next week - how did this happen? Time is flying by and they are learning and growing so quickly. Things will never again be as they are now.