What Motherhood Means to Me (and a few other Mommy Bloggers).

TGIF Everyone! Mother's day is coming up and this Sunday will be the 4th time I will celebrate Mother's Day. It is my favorite holiday because my favorite thing in the world is being a mom - a job I take very seriously and the only job I hope I am the best at.

Photo taken at 36.5 weeks pregnant, 13 days before Vivian was born (January 6th 2015).

I could write on and on about what Motherhood means to me, what being a mom has taught me and what my daughter Vivian has taught me but I will try to capture the gist of my thoughts into one paragraph. After all I asked several other moms to send me just one paragraph about what it means to be a mom and what advice they may have for other moms. Today I am back with the ladies I have collaborated before for the Mommy+Toddler Style Easter and Christmas posts. All of us have little kids aging from half a year to four years old. None of us have been moms for too long but that doesn't mean we don't have some valuable advice to give. RACHEL from Threads for Thomas couldn't participate this time but she runs a linkup on Fridays alongside two other Stylish Moms so do stop by and join her today. 

Since the moment I saw her for the very first time, I knew I would love my daughter more than life itself. To say how much motherhood has changed me is the biggest understatement in the world. Every day is a journey filled with laughter, smiles, lessons, tears, hiccups, toddler tantrums, songs, playing, fun and lots of hugs and kisses from my sweet little girl. She has taught me many things but the two main things I have learned from Vivian is to be very patient and to be the most selfless person I can be. Every time she looks at me with her gorgeous eyes, I fall in love a little bit more, I melt and I tell myself "Life is good, God is good". Sure there are moments I want to yell at her and scold her because she took her crayons and drew on the wall. But the moments I treasure the most is when I hold her in my arms, I hug her and kiss her and she hugs and kisses me back. She feels safe with me and I want her to know she will forever feel loved and safe with me. As a mother I would do anything for her. I am not the perfect mother - no one is - but I am her mother, no one knows her better than me. So as a mom, I want to tell all mothers or mothers-to-be not to listen to anyone else who tells you how to be a mother. There is no right or wrong way. Every child is different, just make sure you love them and protect them and I suggest you try to spend at least one hour of quality time just you and the child together, each day. Before you blink, they have grown an inch taller, triumphed through another milestone, learnt something new, accomplished a big step. Time flies and your kid won't stay a kid forever.

Read on what the other ladies had to say about motherhood and what it means to them. Everyone of them is so loving and thoughtful. I want to thank them for being a part of this post today and for opening their hearts and I want to wish them a Very Happy Mother's Day!

AMY from "The Gifted Gabber"

"Becoming a mom has been the most exhausting and remarkable thing I’ve ever done. It is every bit as daunting as I thought it would be and more. Some days, I am overwhelmed with feelings of mayhem and confusion. Other days, I smile so hard my cheeks hurt. Not a day goes by without laughter of some kind, courtesy of my sweet girls. I used to get tired of people telling me how fast the time would fly or how I need to cherish every moment. Seeing my daughter turn three this past year and my baby (and last child) turn one hurt my heart, and I realized those wise words of wisdom cannot be stressed enough. Motherhood – something that makes us feel completely inadequate at times yet on top of the word at others. The main advise I would give to another mom would be to do what feels right to her and what works for her household. No two households or two families are the same which means there is no reason we should all do as everyone else is doing."

BROOKE from "Pumps and Pushups"

"Motherhood is love, laughter and a little bit messy, and I love it. Motherhood has taught me to love a little bit deeper and to embrace the beautiful chaos of it all. I’ve learned that a plan is good, but sometimes plans change. My kids are always changing and the phases they go through are always fleeting. Some of the phases I miss, like sweet baby talk and some I’ve  celebrated the passing of, like the biting phase. Because I know just how quickly they change and how precious the moments are, I’ve learned to let go of everyday stresses. Sometimes my dishes pile up and sometimes my laundry goes unfolded, but that's ok. The lists can wait, because just as I’m missing that sweet baby talk now, I’ll be missing the toddler jokes years later. Most of all, motherhood has taught me how to slow down, how to kiss away boo-boos and how to cherish how beautiful life really is."

ERICA from "Pumps and Pushups"

"The biggest thing I have learned is that you really realize everything your mother did and sacrificed for you when you become one yourself.  I have learned that just because you are at home with your little one during the day, that doesn’t mean you will get stuff done. I have learned that once you start to get the hang of things and start to feel like you have a routine a new development will occur, like crawling, that will bump you back to square one. I have learned that each stage really is better than the last. With my nephews I caught a glimpse of this as they would grow so much between visits, each milestone making them even more interactive and fun to play with. I am now enjoying this with my own daughter. It’s so cool to see her become more aware and engaging with her surroundings."

LAURA from "I Do DeClaire"

"Motherhood is the hardest, but most rewarding job you can have. Even in the most stressful times, remember how much your child looks up to you and how you have the opportunity to teach them so much from your words and actions each and every day. Treat every second with your child as a miracle, because that is exactly what it is."

SHEA from "Shea Lennon"

"For me, motherhood has been a lesson in both holding on and letting go. While being a mom makes up a significant part of my identity, I try not to let it define me completely. I hold on to the things that make me "me," and I prioritize time for those things, which for me are reading, blogging, cooking, and baking. However, motherhood has taught this type A over-scheduler a thing or two about letting go as well. As a working mom, I feel like the time I have with my son is fleeting, so during the time I do have with him, as often as I can I let go of my to-do list and those nagging household tasks so that I can simply enjoy our time together. Every day as a mom brings a new challenge to finding that elusive balance, but every day also brings more joy and love than I could have imagined."

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful moms who do so much more than sacrifices each day, for your children. May this Mother's Day weekend bring some relaxation and pampering to you! You deserve it!

P.S. I am linking this post with a new Friday Favorites/5 Things Linkup (week one starts today) hosted by my friend Monica.