Dear Nathalie, Love Mom

Dear Nathalie, This post is more about me than about you. Because, sometimes, it's important for mommies to think about themselves. My birthday was yesterday. I turned blankety blank years old. Bleh. I have a very clear memory of when your grandma turned 30. And then when she turned 40. And then, 50. I hope that you get to have those memories. I hope they stick. I hope you get more of them than I had. As I get older, I start to think more and more about my mom as a person. Not as my mom, but as a woman who went through a lot. I think about the struggles she had growing up. I think about the person she became and the life she created for her family. It's still hard for me to think about your grandma for too long. I still get sad...overwhelmed sometimes with grief. But it is important to keep thinking about her. I have so many of her qualities, both the good and the bad. I have to focus on the bad so I don't repeat some of her mistakes. But the good.....I...

Dear Nathalie, I saw an article the other day.....something about missing out on a childhood by paying too much attention to your cell phone and not your kids. Guilty. So.....I'm changing my ways. It won't be easy....but it's definitely something that needs to happen. I'm glued to my iPhone. You would think I needed it to breath or something. I'm quite disgusted with myself over it, actually. My commitment to you is this: -When you are home with me, the iPhone is on the charging dock. Not in my hands. -There will be ZERO phone in hand when I'm in the car with you. Not even at stoplights. That is time I have with you to TALK. To be SILLY. To have fun and sing and laugh. -I will take a few minutes every night I work late to sit with you and talk about your day, even if it's past your bedtime. It won't be easy, and I'll forget. But I'm going to try very hard. Because really, dear Nathalie, childhood is much to short....and I don't...