Separation Anxiety and a Pearly White

Momma and her little man - then and now
1 day old and 6 months old 

When Ricky was born, there were a few concerns among the people around me that I may struggle to bond with my new little bundle. Due to a few complications I spent the first day and a half of Ricky's life tucked away in what appeared to be a storage room in High Care while he was safely ensconced in the nursery in the light and airy Maternity Ward. But, despite a separation that felt like eons, all I could think about was my little man and how much I wanted to see him. And when I did, the bond was instant. Of course, for the first few weeks of Ricky's life, I was little more to him than a milk machine and changer of nappies, but something in his eyes when he looked at me let me know that he knew I was Mommy. Now, six and a half months down the line, I have my incontrovertible proof - the onset of separation anxiety.

A Bit of a Rant

"A lot of mom's out there are so busy complaining that they don't take the time to see what a beautiful miracle and blessing it is to be a mom..."

A few weeks ago I received an unexpected, but rather nice, message from an old varsity friend complimenting my enthusiasm and involvement in the raising of my son. She works with kids in the psychology field and, to put it mildly, I was quite flattered but, at the same time, saddened. And more than a little angered. Not by the message, but by the truth in the above statement. The above is from that same message, and it has stayed with me these past weeks. I wish I could say that I disagree with the sentiment, but in my own experience I have come across many a mother who, simply put, does not know how to embrace the joy of mommyhood. I once knew a girl who admitted to me that she was trying to concoct a way she could kill her child without anyone knowing because she didn't like the life she was forced to live after the birth. This is, of course, an extreme case, but it does highlight, in a very real way, a very real problem that society is facing - the plague of the disinterested and disconnected parent.