The Magic of Mother's Day

By Elisa Ast All

I'll never forget my first Mother's Day. My son, C.J., was only three days old as I cradled him in my arms. It felt surreal to be someone's mom! We spent the day with our family, my own mom mothering me and marveling at her first grandchild. Each time someone said how lovely the baby was, I felt a swelling of pride and satisfaction at a "job well done."

But those maternal feelings didn't start on Mother's Day. They surfaced nine months prior, on the day I found out I was pregnant and my image of myself was changed forever. The day I saw the positive sign on the pregnancy test was the beginning of my evolution as a mother. I began to take care of myself as though I was already holding my baby, and, indeed, I was. My eating habits changed for the better, I exercised more regularly and made sure to take vitamin supplements to ensure I was getting the nutrients the baby and I needed.

The nine months that led up to that first Mother's Day were long and challenging, yet not nearly enough time to prepare for the life-altering reality that it is to become someone's mom. But as I cuddled with C.J. that morning, his eyelids fluttering in sleep, I realized that this little person was an extension of myself, and I was ready for the transformation.

By my second Mother's Day, I felt much more at ease with my newfound role. Having survived a year with a baby made me a veteran mom deserving of a day in my honor, right? But I did the honoring that year, making sure my own mom was treated especially well. I realized that becoming a parent is the only way to truly appreciate and understand your own parents.

Mother's Day No. 3 found us a few days pregnant with our twin daughters, Cassie and Jules. That day, I felt full of an

Want to see more?

• Being a Mom: Poetry for Mother's Day and Beyond
• Today I am a Mother: The Transformation from Pregnancy to Motherhood
• Reflections on Motherhood
• Talk about it!