…on my first Mother’s Day.

I’m excited! I’m excited to wake up early and squeeze my baby and husband and eat pancakes and drink mimosas for breakfast and dance around the house in my pajamas… and then climb back into bed and sleep the rest of the day.

Because the only thing a new mom, or any mom, really wants for Mother’s Day, is sleep.

Nevertheless, I’ve got three of the best gifts a mommy could receive for the holiday.

First, this story in the NY Post about me and other new moms that took mini breaks away from home with their newborns during maternity leave. Thanks to my old stomping grounds for including me. And to those who think being a mom abroad with a newborn is a vacation—puh-lease. Just because there’s palm trees in your view from the bedroom window doesn’t mean you’re not up multiple times a night, getting peed and pooped on, and leaking milk from engorged boobs. Doing all of that while trying to recover from childbirth is no vacation, no matter how nice the weather. Read more about all of the drama and delight I endured on my trip to the Dominican Republic with a two month old  here, here and here.

Second, my mother gave me an early Mother’s Day gift. She came to visit me and little Q for a whole week earlier this month. We spent most of our time either on the couch with the baby or walking behind the stroller around the neighborhood. Mom watched me in my new mom element, which was a bit surreal knowing she did all of the same childrearing for me 30 years ago. I understood everything about my mother once I had Q. I wish I would have known sooner. I also wish, like many other grown women close to their moms, I wasn’t such a jerk between the ages of 12 and 14, and would like to publicly apologize to her for all of the strife I put her through. You truly did deserve to utter those infamous words, “I brought you into this world, I can take you out.”

Anyway, mom, I love you. Thank you for being awesome. Thank you for showing me the way.

Oh, my third gift? Do I really have to say it?

That is all.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies.

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