What Motherhood Absolutely Means To Me Is Really Powerful!
What motherhood really means…to me…
Quick..what does organizing have to do with motherhood?
If you asked me that question when I first became a mother, I would have answered, “Nothing.”
Struggling with nursing, my hormones were flooding my system making me joyful one moment and tearfully inadequate the next.
Thank goodness for Claire, a wonderful wise, older mother from Le Leche League, who taught me and my newborn how to latch on.
Life was mayhem with a newborn messily and magically hijacking my thoughts, heart and rhythm.
What motherhood really means. Life will never be the same.
Natural childbirth had left me exhausted, sore and a little mardy towards my husband.
There was little time to deal with any mess as I was soon so sleep deprived. The house quickly stopped being organized after my own mother’s two week stay ended. She’d been helping me, her baby, with our new baby boy, Tyryn Whitney.
What motherhood really means. Messy Motherhood.
I wanted to be an organized mother, but there was nothing organized about my newborn son, his days and nights muddled, needing nursing and changing constantly.
This wee little person with nails so adorably miniature, wrapping us round his tiny long fingers, had taken up permanent residence in our hearts and souls. As had all his baby furniture, baby gifts, baby ‘stuff’, ‘stuff’, and more ‘stuff’…in every room.
What motherhood really means. Magic Motherhood.
The transformation from just me to Mama was a soulful journey. This tiny bundle burrowed into our daily lives quickly erasing memory of life before he was there.
A year and a half later, pregnant with our second child and proudly much more organized; I was now a practiced mother.
The hand-me-downs were carefully labeled and ready in the closet, the “changing zone” totally prepared for this new baby. Our toddler completely potty trained so only one in diapers.
What motherhood really means. Mayhem.
Our second son, Skylyr Winslow, was nearly born in our garage as my body recognized labor and shocked us with its efficiency. Arriving in the knick of time, he was an instant delivery with no time for hospital paperwork.
This time calm parents. New baby dressed less than 24 hours later to go home.
Out of nowhere…our perfect baby stopped breathing.
Every test was run on this poor little mite, in the NICU for four wrenching days with me. I refused to leave his side, sleeping there, battling a hospital to be allowed to hold and nurse my own son back to health…life was minute by minute.
Motherhood means: Home is wherever my children are.
Motherhood means: Home is wherever my children are.
Home. High tech monitors wrapped round Skye’s tiny torso, wires making him look like a sci-fi baby. False alarms sounding, toddler needing mama too. Worry. Stress. The blessed wisdom of our SIDS doctor advising me to sleep with my newborn son, to keep him breathing.
Six months later in the clear.
What does motherhood mean? Motherhood organizes a woman’s soul.
Motherhood organized me internally by bringing me from the chaos of self-centered immaturity to the anchored perspective of putting my children’s needs first.
Motherhood took my life from me, enriching my soul with two sons who both stole my heart in utero.
Motherhood heightened my intuition. I ‘knew’ intuitively the day each of my children were conceived. I ‘knew’ intuitively my babies were boys, though I had always imagined, since being a very little girl myself, that I would have girls.
Mothers know the connection that makes us wake from a deep sleep instantly, moments before our child wakes in the middle of the night.
Motherhood shifts us. I love being a mother. It is my bedrock, my anchor, my most revered self.
Motherhood and organizing.
My boys organize my heart, my priorities, my mindset. I know my sons truly love me, even as they criticize me with teenage cockiness. My heart melts every time they say, “I love you, Mom.”
To all mothers and all women: I honor you. I am grateful I am among you. I am grateful I am a mother and grateful for my sons.
Both my sons are thriving and finding their way. They are both highly organized and accomplish more than I ever could.
Did motherhood make you more organized or less? Connect with me and leave me your comments! Take the Quiz and find out your personal organizing style with customized tips.
Happiest Mother’s Day Magic to you all! From my soul to yours,
What a beautiful, authentic, heartfelt post about Motherhood. I’m not a mother (yet!) and I really enjoyed your share. Thank you Jul! 🙂
Thank you Reena! It’s from my heart, and one day when you become a mother may your child and children bring you the wonderful joy my boys have given me.
i can certainly relate to what you’ve written, jul’s. i went from an organized perfectionist to a children-are-messy-and-it’s-more-than-okay mom of two precious sons. time has passed and my boys are now young men, but i’ve never regretted the chaos and clutter of their growing-up years. (i even miss the legos spread all over the house, even though they hurt so very much to step on!)
So glad I brought up some good memories April. Children are messy, life is messy, chaos and clutter may be preludes to peace and clarity. I’ve found those tiny lego pieces…the ones we called dots meant to represent headlights now and then fallen in a floor crack.
I’m not a mother but I Love and resonate with this post nonetheless. So much about motherhood is about letting go of control and giving in to love and the new “normal”. It is a wonderful lesson to remind us that we can do it in all aspects of our lives as women and business owners, especially since our projects, our passions are our children in many ways as well. Sending love and light to all mothers out there!
Thank you so much Jovana! I completely agree. We women business owners, and “mother’s” – birther’s of projects do best when we let go, trust and let our creative, loving intuition loose. In the spirit of all women being mothers of some sort…Happy Mother’s Day!
Wonderful post Jul’s!Yes, organization (or lack there of) and parenting go hand in hand. I really winged it with the first one and like you learned some things along the way in time for the second one. It was often a battle to keep it that way, but the calm everyone feels when we got everything back in place was palpable. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story! Happy Mother’s Day!!
Thank you so much April! Motherhood is really what got me more organized. Being a natural nurturer and giver, my children were my motivation to get organized. Now they are my inspiration as they still teach me quicker, more efficient ways to do things. I love the calm and piece that organization gives me and my mindset.
Love the post, Jul’s! Especially the ‘home is where my children are’ part.
Thank you Maham…it is sincerely the truth for me!
Loved the post Mom!
Can’t say I remember being there, but great to hear that my early years went smoothly. And to put in my own two cents, this teenage cockiness you’re talking about is a work of fiction. I’m pretty certain I was angel back then!
Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks for always being there for me
Love You!
Aww, thank you my sweet first born, Tyryn! I had great muses as inspiration with you two boys for crafting this post. You are both angels to me, guardian angels as it has turned out, and for that I am blessed daily. So are you saying you appreciate your Mama despite her not knowing half of what you two know when it comes to technology and then some? I love you more than words can ever express. And thanks for the Mother’s Day wishes…I am grateful you and your brother give me the honor and gift of being a mother. A very proud and grateful mother. xxooxx
I was totally entrenched through your entire post. I’m so happy your second baby was/is OK. I’m not yet a mother, but looking forward to the day. WHat a blessing to come across your site! I need help getting organized 🙂
There are no accidents…I am grateful you found my site, Emily 🙂 I love to help women get organized with with energizing out-of-the-box solutions. I am here to help! Presently you are a mother of your life and your work, currently. All you do now will prepare you for the blissful humbling experience that is motherhood. When you become a mother of your children, a new dimension begins.
Great article Jul! Motherhood is beautiful journey with its own challenges and reeards
Thank you Akshaya! I agree, motherhood is a beautiful journey and the challenges actually make us so appreciate the rewards.
Motherhood made me so strong – I could never have imagined that I could be that strong, but I had to, without even thinking. It was a switch from someone to someone else. Definitely a different person. Thanks for this, lovely article! xo
I agree Llyane, “without thinking…” it is instinct that takes over. Love how you put it! Happy Mother’s Day! xox
Wow, wow, wow. So beautifully, powerfully and emotionally written. Just gorgeous. I’m reminded of the ebb and flow of finding new organization each time I had a new child. I was always organized, but it went through an adjustment period each time. My first because he was my first, my second because my husband was away on a business trip when I brought him home, my third because she was in the ICU for 10 days (and fine now) and my fourth because we moved to a new city when she was just a few weeks old. I can relate, too, to the internal organization made up of all the growth and amazingness and challenges that are part of being a parent.
Now it is my turn to say Wow, wow, wow! How amazing to be a mother of four! Thank you so much for your support, it can be wee bit scary to share the personal story, and I am ever grateful my NICU baby is well and healthy, growing into a special, loving man-boy. I know you were and are an organized person, and I am sure that was a big help to your mothering. Flexibility and adjustments uncover our best! Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you Jul’s. I will keep your words in mind and yes of course I will follow your site. I absolutely love it and what you’re doing.
Yeah, you are part of my clan! People like you make me inspired, because I love to make a difference for women in their daily life. More confidence, more freedom, more energy to live our life as we dream.
Wow, eloquently written. I love the new word you taught me, Mardy – grumpy, surly, like a moaning child who doesn’t get his way. (lol) I can’t imagine what it must have been like to have a newborn stop breathing, I commend you for your strength and I’m relieved to hear your boys are grown and healthy. For me motherhood is messy, I don’t think I will ever be an organized mom and I’m okay with that. Our days are sweet chaos, I never know what the day will bring, it’s exciting in a way. My house looks like a bomb went off every day, and that’s fine. I know my baby girl is happy and healthy and that’s all that matters. Happy mother’s day to you as well.
Hi Krystal! Thanks so much for the compliment and for your honest comments. Glad I could offer new vocal; I love words that sound like what they are. It was very scary and shocking to have a perfect, short delivery, baby checked out and deemed healthy and perfect…only to have the breathing episode out of nowhere. We mothers have strength we don’t even know we are capable of when we are lionesses for our children. I commend you for embracing messy motherhood and enjoying sweet chaos. I am the first one to applaud the good side of messes and excitement of going with the flow. The most important thing is that you and your family are happy. That said, I have found for myself, and many others that even adopting one new habit of organizing can really free life up for more enjoyment and ease. So don’t sell yourself short, it is not about perfection, it’s about organizing little pieces to support what you love most. Keep reading my blog when you can for the little tidbits you can easily incorporate in your mothering that will be small, simple shifts with huge benefits for you, your children and homelife. Happiest of Mother’s Day…your baby girl is blessed to have such a loving mama.