{I would like to say a huge THANKS to Isabella Oliver for supplying clothes for this photoshoot. IO is and has been one of my favorite maternity and womenswear stores. Their clothes are the perfect mix of classy and sexy. From maternity styles that take you from pregnancy to postpartum to a classy womenswear collection, they have the best styles and great quality. Check out my maternity dress from Isabella Oliver here and don’t miss out on an awesome giveaway of this Jersey Drape Dress in honor of all the Mothers out there at the end of this post. If you’re pregnant, check out their amazing resource, Isabella Oliver World: Pregnancy in Style}
Elena’s outfit:
Top: Cool Cotton Shirt in Blue and Sequin Jacket
Bottom: The Skinny Jeans
Jewelry: Luna Wrap Bracelet
Mom’s outfit:
Top: The Perfect Tee
Bottom: Zip Pencil Skirt
Jewelry: Chelsey Necklace
Alexis’ Dress:
Growing up in Russia, we didn’t have Mother’s Day. There was an International Woman’s Day on March 8th, which was pretty big and celebrated all over. But somehow mothers were never singled out. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. I think all the women deserve to be celebrated (and so are men), but our Moms do hold a special place in our hearts.
Being new to this, the identity of a “Mother” hasn’t synced in with me yet. I don’t feel like a MOM. I feel like I have this precious little baby that I love more than life and want to spend every second with and take care of and help in life and put on the right path. If that’s what it feels like to be a mom, then I am it.
So Mother’s Day this year for me is a Day dedicated to My Mother, as well as my own emerging identity of a mother, as well as the future possibility of Alexis being a mother if she chooses to.
It has been incredibly rewarding to have my mom here with us for the last 3.5 months, witnessing the first weeks of Alexis’ life. It’s special for her and it was special for me. I know Alexis will forget her grandma was here with her, but it meant a ton for my mom, as well as me. Having support of a mother during your own transition into motherhood is incredible. Yes, it’s challenging, because being “seasoned”, my mom had her own ideas of what’s right and what’s wrong. But what makes my mom so great is that those ideas were never set in stone and absolute.
Yes, I did have to tell her about a million times why Alexis’ newborn acne isn’t a heat rash from bundling her too warm but from my hormones, or that it’s ok to assist a baby in sitting up without “bending her spine permanently”, or that the reason why she can’t lie on her back is reflux (“What? You and your sister didn’t have that!” Yes, mom and she does!).
Yes, she did hover and second guess me and herself 5 times a minute. But all of it was CLEARLY done with the best intentions possible, with the care and concern in her eyes. It was never said in a mean or judgmental way, neither did she ever get offended when I would tell her she was wrong.
My mom has always put her kids first. That might have destroyed her marriage, but she doesn’t know how to be any other way. I want to be like my mom but find a balance in taking care of my kids while sustaining my relationship with my husband.
I’ve always said she was selfless. She’d do anything and everything for us. Growing up, I ALWAYS knew that my mom will do whatever it takes to help me succeed. I was brought up with an unspoken “you can come to me with everything” rule. She trusted me to make my own decisions, yet always worried about my safety. {she’s a worrier}
I’ve never been afraid to ask her for something or feel like I am inconveniencing her, because she’s always let me know that nothing that I would need is an inconvenience. It’s truly a blessing to have a mom that will never think of herself first, even though I wish sometimes she would. And I, in turn, would do anything for her as well.
I believe we have kids to give them all that we can in terms of love, support and attention. We don’t have kids for ourselves, because we’re bored or because we need someone to love us. We have them to add a hopefully better human to this world, arm them with all the best and let them live their life.
I am new to motherhood. I have a lot to learn. I have to learn patience and tolerance, which is not one of my virtues. I have to learn to be nurturing, more than I already am. I have to learn how to be the best example for Alexis. I have to learn how to foster her identity without losing my own. I have to learn how to most beneficially work with Alexis’ personality and bring out the best in her.
Alexis brought change, a lot of it . Not only in our lives but in our thinking. I welcome change. I thrive on changes. Motherhood has been “different” but oh so rewarding. It has been hard but oh so easy and natural. It has been EVERYTHING and NOTHING I expected. I have worked hard to stay flexible and fluid in my doing and thinking. A baby is so unpredictable and changes happen so fast that sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s all good, it’s all normal, it will all pass and unfortunately it will go by too fast.
As I am sitting here writing this post, Alexis is in her swing with my husband in front of her. They are talking and she’s cooing and squealing and laughing even though she didn’t sleep much last night (was awake from 12am to 4 am). And even though I didn’t sleep along with her and I am so tired that all I want is for her to fall asleep so that I could nap too, I absolutely adore hearing her laugh and suddenly I DON’T want her to sleep. Suddenly I’d rather hear those wonderful sounds of my daughter being happy. And that’s what motherhood is all about.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY from OUR FAMILY to YOURS!
In honor of Mother’s Day, in conjunction with Isabella Oliver 365 Womenswear Collection, we’d like to offer a giveaway of a dress that would make ANY mom feel like a million bucks. Please read the rules and enter below.
And until Monday, May 14th, you can get 20% off on their Mothers and Daughters In Style collection.
Isabella Oliver Jersey Wrap Dress
BELOW ARE THE GIVEAWAYS RULES
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and 2 daily entries for which you can come back to enter daily. This giveaway is open to US residents only.
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Alexis is so adorable, omg I cant take her chubby cheeks!! That first picture with her hand in her mouth is so precious!
Happy First Mother’s Day, Helooooon!!!!
We do have Mother’s Day in Russia, it’s somewhere in November lol and obviously not as important as the 8th of March 🙁
This post has brought tears to my eyes!
Galina Alexandrovna is one amazing mother, that’s for sure!
And because she still puts you first she’s been able to come and help you guys for 4 months, having left her man alone.
“You can come to me with anything, I’ll help you out and won’t judge” is what I hope to show to my own kids 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day, Elena! This was a beautiful post. Just from pictures, your mother looks so sweet and loving.
Hopefully your little cutie will let you sneak a nap in today!
Have a beautiful day!
Happy mother’s day Elena! You’re doing great and the little angel looks absolutely adorable! =)
Thank you for mentioning that you don’t feel like a “mom”
I was feeling weird that I didn’t feel like that, my boy is a week younger than A and I know I’m his mom but I just don’t see myself in the mom jeans, mini van role. I love him more than anything and would die for him but the term mom just seems strange to me
Happy mothers day!!
Even though I am exhausted it really is the best thing in the world
I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling this way 🙂 I guess it’s just so new it hasn’t merged with our identities yet. I bet when they start calling us Mommy it’ll sink in.
Hows your baby sleeping? Mine started waking up every hour….
It took me quite a while to get used to that term. I could never even call myself MUM. It was very weird ) And yes, you are right, when you hear your little one call you that that’s when it sinks in once and for all. And that’s the precious moment that means more than world!
I’m glad it’s a common feeling and I think it makes sense. You don’t just change your identity overnight
I just thought to myself last night, now that my son is about 21 months, now I truly feel in love with this whole deal. Completely in love with him, and my role as a mother and and wife, my capabilities , my responsibilities, etc. So yeah, you’re not alone in that sentiment at all.
So funny because I have been thinking the same thing lately! My husband got me a pendant that says, “Mom” on the front and has our son’s initials on the back, and I was looking at the, “Mom” and thinking I don’t feel like the word Mom (not sure how to explain it!) – I mean, I care for my baby all day and love him beyond anything I ever could imagine, but so strange to think of myself as a mom!
I feel bad replying to this because my boy is actually a very good sleeper. He usually sleeps thru the night and has for a bit but I can tell when he’s on a growth spurt because then he feeds a whopping twice in the night. I am pretty lucky I know. He’s gained a ton of weight (6lbs 1oz at his lowest and at just over 3 months he’s now 17lbs yikes) so I know he’s eating enough.
Alexis will get there eventually and you’ll miss the midnight snuggles (but be super excited for a full nights sleep)
Your an amazing mom and I LOVE reading your posts and Alexis is gorgeous!
OMG why would you feel bad! Please don’t! It’s awesome he sleeps through the night!!!
Alexis has actually started waking every hour at night which I assume is a continuation of her becoming more interested in the world and less interested in sleep.
So we went from no sleep to 3-4 hour stretch to 1 hour stretches 🙂
Oh by the way Lexi is 17 lbs a few ounces too. Both her weight and height are no longer on the chart lol
Lexi just gets cuter and cuter with each post, if that’s even possible. Love the photo of just the two of you…how precious! Congratulations on your very first mother’s day. I have really enjoyed reading your blog and watching you go through the process of becoming a mom. 🙂
The first one of this set is jsut SO natural and adorable and perfect. Love it.
https://everyavenuelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mothers-day-8.jpg
Beautiful photos, as usual, and what a touching post! Also love your hair curly/wavy – so pretty! Does it dry naturally that way? Would love a tutorial! 🙂
Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day with Lexi!
Thank you! I wish I had a tutorial but what my hair looks like when air dried. I wish it was straight.
You wish yours was straight…I wish mine was curly. Thank goodness for blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons, yes? lol
Beautiful post, and gorgeous pictures of you, your mother, and Alexis. Y’all look fantastic 🙂 Happy late Mother’s Day to both you and your mama!
Isn’t that always the way? Now I wish I had time to blow dry 🙂
You can have mine. I straighten mine because I hate the curls, lol.
oh! This is beautiful! The photos, your family, your love. all of it.
and I CAN NOT WAIT to be in these photos with you. 🙂 (it’s impossible for me to think of you/read your blog/comment without ending it with some sort of comment about getting to visit) :)))))
xoxoxo
Eek, you three (four really!) are so cute matching! Beautiful photos, and beautiful words Elena.
Being called Mommy is such a privilege. I feel like it is another role to fill with my personality, not to be my mom or mother-in-law, though I look to their example and experience for sure. My 9-month son has started babbling ma-ma and da-da. It is such a joy to know that means he wants me and loves me, just like my husbands endearments remind me of his love. We just found out our second baby is a girl! I can’t wait for the girl clothes.
Sounds like you have made a great beginning for your first Mother’s Day!
Hi
your daughter is very nice and cute. 🙂
I have a girl baby too. she’s 8 months
excuse me. i have a question about your camera
Can i asked u about it’s brand and model?
You can read about my gear here
However, keep in mind that what camera you use has little to do with your photos. Skill, editing and lens come first.