I was never considered much of a ‘kiddy’ person by my friends. I was never one to get down and awe over babies.  So I was just as surprised as everybody else how becoming a mother brought out that side of me.

I had a pregnancy calendar which showed how the baby and its features had developed over the months and was silently mortified when it read that it now had bones and hair growing. Bones and hair inside me! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed being pregnant, but there was apprehension about giving birth. Volunteered experiences and opinions of others only adding to my own imagination.

She came into the world a whole month earlier to the day, perfectly healthy, ending my self torture of ‘am I ready for this? Can I really be a mother?  Here she was, ready or not.  I found myself infatuated by every move of this little bundle that was created inside me. Everything changed when she entered my life.  My mother side was there all along, lying dormant for this moment of my life and every moment onwards.

I wasn’t single at the time, I became single when she was 6 yrs old. Then another mothering side emerged, I was no longer repressed to expections of another person of how I should mother our child. I felt we were both free to be ourselves. I loved being the mother I always wanted to be and she blossomed with it.

Tomorrow she is turning 10 yrs old.  We have entered a new world of mood swings and mature conversations contrasted with the usual child stuff. She’s a beautiful being, inside and out. Not a brunette, brown eyed like myself but blonde and blue eyed like her Nanny and great-great Nanna. I’m told she looks just like me, so I know there’s more to resembling someone than just looks. Yes there’s the usual mannerisms that comes with being around someone a lot, but there’s also the morals and values and outlook on life that I’d like to think reflects out of her from me.

So my ‘Lil Bubs’ is becoming a little lady and I feel so blessed to be her mum and watch what happens next.  Our lives have been up and down but we’ve gone through it together.

So far I think I’m doing a pretty good job at mothering. No complaints from ‘Lil Bubs’ and receiving certificates from school stating I’m ‘The Best Mum in the World’ is good enough for me…..