Two years ago I sat in a chair in my living room as my sister kissed my belly. “This is the last time I’m going to see this belly,” she said. It was like she knew. She knew that the very next day we would start our adventure with our son.
That next day I went to the hospital prepared to welcome our third child into the world. As with my other children, it was love at first sight. My heart grew and filled with love for yet another child that I was blessed to call my own.
We took him home days later and were ready to start our life in the city as a family of five. I spent those newborn days snuggling with him and embracing every single moment that I had with him. As he grew, so did his personality. As a mom who had done this twice before, I thought that I’d been through it all. Macks proved that I hadn’t. I am convinced that he was put into our lives so that we’d know that we are capable of doing so much more than we thought we would.
I never thought I’d be able to go without sleep for an extended period of time. He showed me that I could. I never thought that I’d try so hard to continue to breastfeed. He showed me that I would. I never thought that I’d be open to new adventures in the suburbs. He showed me that I would. I never thought that I’d pray so hard for time to slow down. He showed me that I would.
When people ask me about Macks, I always tell them that he’s a challenge. And it’s true. Out of all three of my children, he’s been the one that’s given me the biggest run for my money. He did everything the exact opposite of the way that the girls did. He took everything that I thought I knew about motherhood and completely flipped it upside down to show me that it’s never what we expect it to be.
In these two years, Macks has has shown me a new side of motherhood. He’s shown me a new side of me. The me that is much more willing to take on anything. The me that has the confidence to know that I can take on anything. The me that feels like I can take on the world.
Happy Birthday, my sweet little boy. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being a challenge. Because if life’s going to give me a challenge, you’re the best kind there is.
