With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, we thought it was a good chance to launch our new monthly feature; Motherhood Muses. Each month we'll chat to a new mum about all things motherhood. We're kicking things off with a close friend of the Growbright Team; Hastings mum, Alex Ebbett. Mum to nearly 4 year old Remi, motherhood certainly hasn't been all roses and fluffies for Alex, but these two are a tight unit and watching Alex tackle motherhood and shape such a sassy, funny and kind-hearted little boy has been such a privilege, we thought we should share a snippet of her journey with you all!
Tell us about Remi and what becoming his mum has taught you?
Remi turns 4 this year in August. His passions include animals, dinosaurs, tractors, two minute noodles and singing his own rendition of songs during car rides. Becoming his mum has taught me patience and the meaning of unconditional love.
What advice would you give yourself in the early days of motherhood?
I struggled with the stigma around ‘single mothers’ and the knee jerk reaction/ judgement that the title held. If I could give myself advice it would have been to be kind to yourself. Take a break.
Has becoming a mum changed your relationship with your mum?
Yes! It has brought us closer! I became a single mother in the middle of my pregnancy journey so my mum was my ‘birthing partner’. She came along to my antenatal classes and was with me for the birth. She even cut his umbilical cord!
Biggest challenge vs biggest reward of motherhood?
Challenge: Balancing self vs mum and what that means.
Reward: It's made me a better person and made me re-evaluate my life goals and priorities.
What has surprised you the most about motherhood?
How fast they grow up. Everyone tells you this at the start. ‘Enjoy every moment ya ya ya’. I remember staring at them blankly with two hours sleep under my belt feeling like my nipples were going to fall off and thinking, sure. Eyeroll. Low and behold, they were right. The first 3-12months or what I call the ‘squishy stage’ went by so so so fast.
What’s your favourite thing to do with Remi?
We live rurally so sometimes we like to drive into town and go to his favourite cafe where they have a train play table for kids. He has aptly named ‘the train cafe’. We get fluffies and something sweet and hang out. My favourite thing that happens at the end of each day is snuggling up and talking about the day. We take turns making up silly stories about dinosaur farts and other hilarious 3yo topics. He laughs and laughs and it makes my heart happy. Sometimes he gives me a kiss or holds my face and says, ‘I love you mum’. That’s pretty nice too.
Who are you outside of being a mum, what do you get up to when you’re not in mum mode?
I’m just realising my hobbies are rather cliché. Vegetable gardening has been one of my hobbies I threw myself back into when Remi was a newborn which has stuck with me. Super satisfying growing things from scratch! Baking! No explanation needed because, YUM.
What are your plans this Mother’s Day?
Nothing set in stone for Mother’s Day. I’m hoping daycare has got the kids to make cards again like last year. Remi is not an overly ‘arts and crafts’ kind of chap so there is nothing like some compulsory love artwork to hang on the fridge.
