Up until October 1, 2001, I had always thought my life was full and complete. I also thought, I knew what love was, and that love at first sight was for dreamers; the story writers. I was happy; I was where I wanted to be and had it all. Until I had laid eyes on my first born, baby boy. Becoming a mother had transformed my life in a matter of seconds. I had without knowing it, just gone through the most significant life experience.
As I sat on the hospital bed, I didn’t want to hear my name, or my mother call me “honey,” or my dad call me “sweetheart.” I didn’t hear the hustle and bustle in the hall way, or all the other screams and cries outside my door. All I saw, heard and knew, was that I was holding the greatest gift from God, but I couldn’t even see him through my tears. What I felt was total recognition, unconditional love and complete trust. In my heart that very instant I realized, everything I needed to know about life and love. How honoured I was that God trusted me this much, that He knew I would guide and love this little human being till my very last day. I remember being overwhelmed with so many elated emotions and not wanting to sleep, how could I? I sat watching my baby sleep, I found my mind spinning many miles out of control, I had so much to do, and change in my life. There I was, making all these resolutions about how I was going to live my life better, saner and healthier. All of sudden, the normal life I thought I had; I didn’t. My life in a matter of hours had just changed. I was someone’s mother!
I wouldn’t buy my fruits and vegetables from just any grocery store, it had to be organic, only the freshest food for my baby. I would start shopping at all the farmers markets and buy whole-grain goodness. More importantly, I started breast-feeding, immediately. From the initial latch, it felt so normal and natural to me, it was like breathing. At that moment, I knew I had started off right. Nothing was going to...