They Call Us Momma

For some of us, being a mom is something we’ve been dreaming about since we were little girls. We loved to play house, loved to dress and take care of our dolls, and loved to boss around our siblings or friends who were younger than us. For others of us, motherhood wasn’t something that was on the forefront of our mind. We knew that eventually we’d probably want kids, but were more focused on what career we wanted to pursue when we grew up.

As we reached a point in our lives when it was possible to have children, some of us welcomed them much sooner than expected, some had them exactly when we planned, and others crossed mountains of obstacles. Each of us has a different story and perspective, and have uniquely built our families.

Regardless of how any of us reached motherhood though, we all have one thing in common: We know how incredible it feels to be called “momma.” 

One way or another, you welcomed your firstborn into your family, and instantly became “mom.” You spent a good portion of the first year telling your baby how much mommy loves him, constantly whispering sweet somethings into his ears as you cuddled and rocked him. Then, one day it happened. After months and months of selflessly pouring yourself into your baby, he reciprocated that love back and communicated to the world that he knew who his momma was. For the first time, he called YOU “momma.”

You weren’t sure if you actually heard it for real, so you invested all your energy into trying to get him to say it again. And again.  Sometimes he’d say it on command, other times he wouldn’t. It made each time extra special, and you’d melt whenever you heard his sweet little voice.

Time went on. Life got busier. The days of quietly staring at him in the rocking chair became fewer and fewer. He started moving, and you started chasing. He started exploring, and you started baby proofing. He started becoming aware of his independence, and you started teaching him boundaries and implementing discipline to protect him.

Through it all, he’s called you momma. He sweetly calls you momma when he’s all smiles, when he’s in a good mood, when he’s playing contently, and when he loves what you served for dinner. He dramatically screams momma when he’s frustrated, when he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, when he refuses to listen, and when he’s throwing a tantrum.

Those of us who have young children still have a lot of “momma” and “mommy” to look forward to. We’ll get to follow the long line of moms who’ve gone through the journey before us. We’ll get to be the ones who teach our kids how to love others, how to share, how to care, how to say their abc’s, and how to respect those in authority. We’ll get to bittersweetly send them off to school, and watch them wave and say “Bye momma!” as they head out to navigate the world for the first time without us.

We’ll get to help them develop friendships and remind them how special they are when they feel left out by peers. We’ll get to help them with their homework. We’ll get to encourage them and help build their confidence as they become involved in activities.

At some point, we’ll start hearing “mom” more than “momma” which I can imagine will make us feel like our time with them is flashing before our eyes.

We’ll have to let go a little more each year as their independence reaches new limits, as they spend more time at school and with friends than at home, as they learn to drive, as they learn all about what it means to fall in love for the first time.

We’ll get to be there when their heart is broken, when they don’t know what step is next, when they just want to be hugged and assured that everything will be okay. We’ll help them work through their insecurities. We’ll get to be there through triumphs and victories, through achievements and setbacks.

We’ll get to be the one to let them pave their own path in the world, the one who sets them free and pushes them to follow their dreams. We’ll watch as they find their true love, and listen as they tell us all about how amazing that person is. We’ll realize that for the rest of their life, our role will look significantly different. We might not be the first person they call, or ask for advice. We’ll watch them form their own families, and it will be beautiful and strange and exciting.

Through each stage of motherhood, we’ll hold a unique position in our kids’ lives. There will be times when they need us often, and other times when we’ll have to be okay with taking a back seat to the action. We’ll always be adjusting and learning how we can best love them.

But I think it’s safe to say that no matter how much we’re needed, the title we carry will always remain the same. We’ll always be “momma” in their hearts. No matter who or what comes into their lives, no one will be able to replace their momma.

Your kids might be babies, toddlers, children, or adults. You might be going through a  smooth stage or a perhaps a rocky one. Whatever motherhood looks like right now for you, may you and I never forget how sweet it was to be called “momma” for the first time. Even when we hear it a million times a day, may we remember the honor and privilege it is, and may we never wish away the time we have with them.

May we pursue our relationship with our kids with a thankful heart, and may we embrace the changes that are bound to come along the way, knowing that through it all, we’ll always be “momma.”

XOXO,

Amber

P.S. For more reflections on parenthood and life, follow us on Facebook (Hun Let’s Run) and on Instagram: @ambermariekuiper and @jakekuiper! We’d also love for you to subscribe to our Hun, Let’s Run Podcast! For more info about joining our fitness community as a customer or coach, please email us at amber@mommysmetime.com!