How do I feel on my first Mother's Day? I would say I dun feel dramatic about it, no bursting with excitement etc. Julien is, after all, still very young and it will be a while before he will celebrate it with me. Nevertheless, I do feel a little skip in my heart just to think that this year is a step forward on the journey of no return ... I mean, nobody can go back to child-free, non-motherhood days once you have crossed over the threshold into the temple of motherhood :)
All I can say is when one has gone down the path of motherhood, one understands that so much time, effort and sacrifice is involved. Just a lot of hard work - the nightfeeds, the routines, teething, weaning etc etc ... oh man, just a lot of hard work! And sometimes, I encouraged myself by saying that it's alright - he will outgrow the nightfeeds, he will get into routine, his appetite will be back once his teething is over, I will watch him carefully, so no more falling or bumps from hard knocks... but for every one of the above, you know that there is really no certain end to it (especially the knocks and bumps - it seems boys have a knack for this area!). In fact, once you become a parent, you never stop worrying about your child, even when he grows up and starts his own family, so I've been told. And with that realisation, you tell yourself that it's alright, you can relax and afford to breathe, that if you relax, motherhood will be much more enjoyable even with the nightfeeds, bumps on the head etc... I tell you, it is a roller coaster ride like none you have ever taken before!
Anyway, in true blue Singaporean fashion, Daddy Low and I celebrated the occasion by going shopping and having a nice meal, of course. Our first stop was to Mamas and Papas, where I bought some maternity clothes on sale. Yes, maternity clothes! Crazy, you say. All I know is that they had a nice wool cardigan that dropped 50pounds off its price tag and as long as they had my size, I can wear it even if I am not pregnant. Secretly, I think to myself, "Oh, I will enjoy my second pregnancy with all these nice clothes..." Yes, I know, a bit crazy there. Julien is a lot of hard work, but when you see his smiles and how he always wants me, his mummy, to hold him and pick him up, your heart melts, and any hardship is forgotten. The joy of babies! :) And I really do want him to have at least one sibling!
Next stop - Mothercare... to get a front-facing car-seat! Oh yes, my boy is growing up indeed! His legs stick out a bit now when he is in his old back-facing car-seat, though we are still using it, cos he has not totally outgrown it and a back-facing one is safer than a front-facing one any day. But we have already seen something we want and thought we will grab it while it is on promotion. More than anything, I like the idea of buying it on this significant day, that somehow Mother's Day marks another milestone for him. I love the seat we bought - the Maxi Cosi Axiss, because it can turn around towards the door and you can put the baby in without adding strain to your back... Julien was 8.08kg 2 weeks ago when we weighed him and he feels increasingly heavier by the day, so anything that helps lessen that back pain is very welcome indeed!
And oh, Daddy Low got me a cute, pretty baby bag, so that I dun look like I am struggling with the "whale-size" Bababing bag, which, really, Daddy Low got it more for himself, since the tag line of Bababing's bags goes: "The best baby bag is the one carried by Dad!" (Wow! What a long sentence! As an English teacher, this is strongly not recommended.) Three cheers for Daddy Low! Hip Hip Hurray! :)
And then off to a nice Mother's Day lunch. In the Italian restaurant Zizzi's, the Mother's Day menu is a 3-course meal with a complimentary glass of Prosecco. As I admired and sipped my pink bubbly, I thought to myself, "Is that how Motherhood is like - all pink and bubbly?" Not too sure about that, I nonetheless loved the taste and the feeling of having a pink, bubbly Prosecco in my hand and mused to myself that it would be nice if I could have a glass of bubbly just like this, all pink and girly, everyday at home... As I perused the menu, I was amused to see that it featured the spicy king prawn pasta. I remember this dish well...
When we arrived in UK last March, a homesick, miserable, 20-week pregnant Me dreaded mealtime every day, because I could not enjoy my food and in fact, could not keep much of it down. I had been on porridge for the first few days, then remembering what a fren, who had been pregnant overseas, said about pasta being the only carbo besides rice she could tolerate, I decided to give the king prawn pasta at Zizzi's a go. I remembered I found it unbearably sour (which was probably due to the garlicky chilli base) and although I ate quite a bit of it (for indeed, pasta was a good comfort food), I ended up throwing it all up on the way home... How coincidental that now that the baby is out and I am celebrating my 1st Mother's Day, that we should find ourselves back in this same restaurant (I had another restaurant in mind, but we somehow ended up in Zizzi's) and me facing the same dish... and once again, deciding that I will have it! How Life does go in circles!
And the verdict? It was not vile or sour; in fact, I enjoyed it very much. And more or less polished off the plate. It is strange to think what a difference a surge in hormonal levels makes to one's tastebuds. Back then, I had thought to myself, "so that is how the various food items really taste like" - I had thought garlic is the most odious thing on earth and would gag every time it was cooked. I had thought that my eyes were truly opened for the first time to its real taste (what have I been eating all this while?!). But ask me now, and I can only honestly say I have no idea anymore of that odious taste; garlic, onions etc are the most heavenly smells when fried and sweating out in the pan!
The day ended with a touch of reality - we went to the supermarket to buy groceries. As much as it was Mother's Day and all mothers should be off duty, you know that is not really true and life goes on - we've got to do that weekly grocery shop, so that my wife/mother's role can resume undisrupted the next day, when my nice, pink, bubbly Mother's Day turns back into the good old pumpkin!
Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, first-time or otherwise! It is a hard job, but one that you can truly give yourself a pat on the back for! And oh, you definitely deserve that Prosecco! :)
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