Baby Mine…Don’t You Cry – Happy Mother’s Day

I could probably fill a million blog entries with the memories and emotions I feel about being a mother. It is, quite simply, the one thing I knew I was destined for before I was even married. Believe it or not (ok, so it’s probably pretty easy to believe if you are a frequent reader) a lot of how I knew I wanted to be a mom is tied to Disney. I would cry at Disney movies knowing I wanted to share the love I saw on screen with my own children some day. I’d watch other people’s children dance around at the end of the Festival of the Lion King show in Animal Kingdom and be a crying fool thinking of how sweet they were…hoping to someday share memories like that.

I never babysat as a child, in fact, I never even changed a diaper until my first son’s 11 years ago. It wasn’t that I had this need to ‘mother’ or that I felt I would somehow be great at it, it was more about the memories I knew would be there. I had such a wonderful childhood and I wanted to be able to give that experience to my own children. I wanted to treasure my children as much as my mom treasured me. I don’t think I’ve measured up to the bar she set, but I keep trying.

Children represent innocence and pure joy and it is reflecting upon that which brings a tear to my eye. I don’t think any mom will argue that some of the best moments of motherhood are sneaking a peak at a sweetly sleeping baby, or hearing them squeal in laughter. And all they ask in return is love – they could care less if they are dirty or don’t live in a mansion, or have the latest designer baby clothes. Love. That’s all. I think that’s a pretty good deal, don’t you? The benefits are certainly in our favor. We get to watch a miracle be born and grow and thrive and succeed in life. That’s better than any pay check or Mother’s Day bouquet if you ask me.

I’ll stop with the mush here, but leave you with my Mother’s Day gift to you – two of my favorite Disney songs about motherhood, in all its various forms. Dumbo’s mother did what any of us would do if our child were in danger, and the complete despair she felt, put aside by Dumbo needing her, is so expertly captured here. I have sung this song to all my babies, from the moment they were born, through the depths of post-partum blues, to when they were too big to carry any longer. They will all always be my ‘baby mine’.

Tarzan is one of my favorite films. It came out the year my first son was born, so I was pretty much a jiggly puddle of emotions that whole year anyway. The different kinds of love portrayed here, the fact that all a family needs is love, not rules of how things should be, combined with the music just make me tear up every time. Always. Always and all ways. I’ll be there. So true.

Followed by a link to a trailer of the new movie Babies, opening on Mother’s Day. When I saw this preview a couple of months back, I was completely blown away by the images. Again, it doesn’t matter if you are raising your child in an advanced city, or in the savanna, LOVE is what matters – and it’s what you get back ten thousand-fold as a mother.

I wish all reading this a blessed Mother’s Day. To my own mother, words cannot properly convey the thanks I have for your years of unconditional love, wisdom and guidance. To the 42 new (to me) moms (& dads) I’ve had the privilege of meeting this past year, thank you for your gifts of friendship and desire to be a better mom myself. To my children, thank you for bestowing on my the greatest gift I could ever hope for. ♥

Please have tissues ready before clicking play on any of these videos. 😉

click to get to the trailer page and other info on the movie.

Happy Mother’s Day ♥