My mom is all of these things and much more! Growing up I remember seeing what a strong, hard working, and badass woman she was. She worked hard at her job, treated the people around her with kindness, stood her ground, nurtured me and my sister, was a loving partner to my dad and loved all of us with every part of her soul. To this day she is still every single one of those along with being the greatest grandma to the three baby boys in our family.
You could say my mom and I LOVE a good shopping trip. Most (if not all) of our weekend hangouts revolve around carpooling to Target and getting a Sonic drink after with good ice – if you know you know! Shae and Connie have gotten to see what some of those shopping trips look like because my mom and I equally share the biggest love for Copper & Sparrow.
Looking back, what I remember are the moments of us popping out of the dressing room at the same time and hyping each other up or filling the dressing room with laughter when the clothing is NOT it. Or my favorite saying ever, “it’s cute… but is it $__ cute?” to help us decide if it needs to come home with us or not.
On the other hand, I know my mom looks back and remembers wiping my tears in the dressing room of a Limited Too when the clothes didn’t fit me. My best friend wore all of the crazy colours that you would find in a children store that any 12 year old girl would LOVE to wear but being curvy since a young age, they didn’t fit me.
I think because of countless stories like these I cherish our shopping memories together so much more. The moments of her wiping my tears away have turned into fashion shows with big smiles across both of our faces. The mindset of ‘something is wrong with ME if these clothes don’t fit’ has shifted into ‘something is wrong with the clothes if they don’t fit me’. Our dread for clothes shopping has now become one of our favourite things to do together.
Being a mother isn’t easy. I welcomed my first child in 2021 and now I see my mom in a different light. Wiping away your child’s tears when they are hurting isn’t easy – you feel that pain in your own stomach. You see your child’s eyes that are usually filled with joy be filled with ‘why me’ – an indescribable pain. You have to pick your child up, wipe those tears, dust off their shoulders, look them in tear filled eyes and tell them, “it’ll be okay, you’ll be okay”.
We share the same curves, dark hair, green eyes, bright smile, beautiful hips, and crazy personality. Because of my mother I am a strong, confident, emotional, kind, caring, loving, and a badass woman who holds my head high and laughs when clothes don’t fit. All of the good things my mom is, I see in myself. For that I am forever grateful.