Motherhood Statement

When I was pregnant with our first baby, there were many things I looked forward to and equally many things I dreaded. 6 years and 3 kids down the road, it's been much easier and far more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. Of course it has had its share of challenging moments – an all-night tantrum by first born, hospital stays for the first two and watching them with IVs going in, feeling that all too familiar mommy guilt at not spending or wanting to spend every waking minute of free time with them, hearing those terrible wails of 'mamma don't leave me', when each of the first two first saw me going in to work…But boy are the compensations fab:

1. No performance review ever sounds better: When was the last time your boss got excited just to see you come in to work?
   

Bojjandi starts gurgling and cooing and practically throws himself out of the maid's arms into mine each time he sees me. Puddi will look super-excited if I'm home when she's back from the park and rushes into the house excitedly squealing, "Mamma, you come!". Chubbocks will taste a salad or something I've whipped up, look up with his eyes round with wonder and appreciation and go, "Mamma, this is fab! How did you even make this? You're a chef!"

1. The job description is what you make of it:
   

Yesterday I got to spend a whole half hour resting my cheek against Bojjandi's soft one, feeling his chubby little hands pull out my remaining hair strand by strand and nuzzling the downy hair on his head ( yup, he's still bald). Today I and the kids lolled around, ate popcorn and watched Mary Poppins on DVD at 11 in the morning.

1. You're the boss:
   

When you say 'hop to it', they do. At least until they find out the truth – that you're putty in their little hands and that one tear or sad face is good for a whole lot of 'get out of jail free' passes.

1. You always have little helpers around:
   

Whether it's carrying a glass back to the kitchen or setting the table, reading to the younger kids, keeping an eye on the baby when he learns to roll over or scratching your back where you can't reach, you always have someone at your beck and call. And they can't quit, they work for minimum wage (a few hugs, kisses and thank-yous) and are legal workers despite being underage. Oh yeah, and the dad has to chip in too, no question about it, whereas when he was just the husband you couldn't get even a quarter of the help you do now. Of course, you do run a few risks, like having grape juice on your new yellow carpet…but I've always loved the colour purple, haven't you?

1. You can never get fired:
   

Even though there are the days when Chubbocks and I rage at each other or Puddi annoys me by doing her best to hurt herself by climbing the furniture, at the end of the day no one else can sing the family lullaby the same way, kiss just the right hurt away or know when to stop scratching their back at bedtime. No one else can be called by the same designation, no one can ever replace you.