Discovery

I remember the first day Mason found his feet. He was laying on his back on the floor and all of a sudden - completely out of nowhere - there they were! For some reason, feet finding is not on my ever-growing documentation of Mason Milestones, but I know he was right around four months old and I know he was thrilled with his find.

Can you imagine how it must feel to wake up one morning and discover a part of yourself you never knew existed?

I realize I'm always comparing myself to Mason, but I think that's because we're really not that different. I know, without a doubt, that he's taught me just as much as I've taught him. Actually, he's probably taught me more. I was never really a patient person, until Mason came along. I always had to be doing something and never wanted to wait around; these days, I'm perfectly content sitting around watching him play, spending hours helping him try to pull himself up on the chair, and laying in bed with him for an hour trying to get him to take a half an hour nap (okay, well, I'm working on that last one).

Mason's helped me understand what it takes to be a good mommy: a good mommy isn't judged by how she feeds her baby, where she buys her baby's clothes, or how many toys clutter the living room. It's about the way you conduct yourself, the way you treat others, and the way you teach your baby to be a good person. It's about setting a good example. For me, it's meant backing down - being the bigger person instead of being a fighter. It's meant learning to relax and breathe and realize that the kitchen doesn't have to be spotless and that the laundry can wait 'til tomorrow. It's meant understanding that while things don't always work out the way I want them to, they'll work out regardless. It's meant giving up cursing like a trucker.

You know, it's all been worth it. There's still plenty that I need to work on, but every single day, Mason helps me become a better person. I've discovered parts of myself that I never knew were there. In that way, I'm just like him... always learning.

And what a fair trade: Mason gets to find his feet, his hands, and his ears, and I get to find out what I didn't know I've been capable of all along.