I'm a Mommy

Occasionally I have a moment where it hits me, "Wow. I'm a mom." It's the kind of realization that is both overwhelming and exhilarating. Sometimes I get so used to the routine of life that I feel more like I am playing house and forget how real this all is. Plus I think there is a small part of me that wants to believe I'm still 14. So when I have these moments I am flooded by the awe and wonder that is motherhood. I had such a moment this morning.
 While he is only 13 months old, Eli is surprisingly independent. He's been walking and playing on his own for a few months now, so our house is pretty childproof. I was watching conference while Eli was roaming around the house. He was back playing in the dogs room when he toddled out, walked up to me, and tapped me on the shoulder with a worried look on his face. Then he opened his mouth to show me that he'd eaten something gross. I think it was drywall. I have no idea where he got it, but he definitely did not want it to be in his mouth. He had this sweet childlike look on his face that said, "Mommy, something is wrong. I need you to fix it." I cleaned out what I could with my fingers and then took him to the bathroom to wash the rest out. Thankfully he hadn't chewed yet and it was just a few big chunks.
For some reason, probably from watching conference, this simple indecent touched my heart. Eli wasn't hurt, he wasn't screaming or crying, he just needed his mom to fix something for him. How lucky I am to be the mommy for this amazing little boy.