The women in my life and their birthdays

Because today is International Women's Day, I decided to pay homage to the women in my life. Of all my girlfriends and BFFs, there are two women that hold a VIP space in my heart: my daughter and my mom.

For those of you who still had no clue, I had a baby almost 7 weeks ago. Diogo (my husband) and I named her Sarah. Ever since we knew she was coming to us she became a light in our lives. Every morning when she wakes up she opens up the hugest smile and then all of my tiredness from the sleepless night before melts away (along with my heart).

A few days ago she shed her first tear (babies are tearless for a few weeks after they are born): I was changing her diaper right after we got home from an errand...and she was hungry. It broke my heart! I even dried it out with my finger, it was a HUGE tear! ='(

Then one time, in the middle of the night I fell asleep while nursing her and when I woke up two hours later I looked down to her on my lap and I couldn't figure out in which end her head was: it had dropped NIIIICE and I LITERALLY had to touch both her ends to figure out my baby's anatomy. 

Not to mention that I was seriously planning on leaving her for TWO WHOLE DAYS and go off to Vegas for WPPI ("Wedding & Portrait Photography Conference and Expo") next week. How could I ever? It's hard enough to leave her behind with a babysitter when I have college classes once a week. Plus, I'm not even 21 years old.... =P

I'm still getting the hang of motherhood, and I must say Sarah would agree that I'm trying my best despite all my late "airheadedness". When she entered my life on January 20th this year she changed the way I see myself: I am somebody's MOTHER! All of a sudden there is a lot of responsibility over my head and a person depends on me 24/7. Still, I wouldn't trade her smile, life and love for anything. 

The OTHER woman in my life that holds a VIP spot in my heart is my mother. I love the fact that today is her birthday: right on International Women's Day. How fitting! My mom has always been my guide, my protector, my teacher. She taught me that there are things that matter and there are things that don't. She taught me that sometimes it's better to just let it go, especially when things are hurting us. She taught me that God is watching over us and that we all have guardian angels, making sure we're still alive. But most of all, she taught me how to love. Of all the women, Mami, you are the one I must thank forever for having me as your daughter and giving so much of yourself to me. Now that I'm a mother myself I think I understand this maternal love a bit more. I know my mom would never want to see me suffer, even when she lets me learn with my mistakes, and even more so than I hate seeing her suffer when her bad health hits her hard. I love you, Mami! One day I'll take a picture just like this with my baby Sarah...this has been my desktop background forever: it always serves as a reminder of the love the most important woman in my life has for me.

And to all of us women, HAPPY DAY! May we all feel like the true women we really are, and follow our dreams like we really should. (Beyonce is freakin' 27 YEARS OLD! Don't get me wrong, but I never thought she was only 7 years older than me....)