Officially 3, Officially a Mom

Yesterday Hannah turned 3. I remarked to Chris that I now "officially" feel like a Mom. I asked him when he officially felt like a Dad, and he said the day Hannah was born.

Now before you think I'm crazy (like he clearly did) and regret reading the lifestyle/parenting blog of someone who didn't "officially" think they were a parent, please hear me out.

My very first memory is walking into Woman's College Hospital in downtown Toronto to meet my baby brother. (Some memories are traumatic experiences - I wanted a sister so badly.) Not actually walking into the room and meeting him, but the feeling of anxiousness and excitement as I walked through the hospital lobby. Who would this baby be? What would he look like? How would he affect my life? Would I REALLY have to share my toys with him?

I was 3 years and 29 days old the day my brother was born.

Anything Hannah does from this point forward could be her first memory...and I could (and hope) to very much be a part of that. But realistically, she won't remember the first three years of her life. My Mom and Dad took millions of photos of me when I was younger and I'm glad they did because while I can't remember, it proves things happened in those years. I hope when Hannah is older she will be grateful for all the photos and videos we are capturing of her early years.

I know Hannah KNOWS I am her Mom. The best part of my day is when she squeals "MOMMY!" and runs to me when I pick her up at preschool. Heck, most of the kids at her daycare call me "Hannah's Mom". But now she might actually start to remember things I do for her to reflect on when she is older.

As an aside, because I really don't want you to regret reading my blog, the first time I really felt like a parent was during the first week of Hannah's life. I had to take her to get her blood tested for jaundice and the receptionist asked, "Mom, is your baby a boy or a girl?" It struck me because this was the first time someone outside my family and friends or the hospital staff where I had given birth acknowledged my new position in life.

When did you first "officially" feel like a parent?

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