The birth aside....landmarks that make you feel like a "real" mother?

[champagnesupernova]

Mate on Facebook said that she felt like a real mum, now that she had cleaned up proper sick (!)
I have just sewn on my first name-tape and that really felt like a landmark moment...
What are yours?

My DH's reactions to DS stood out for me. He has always been an excellent, but cavalier sort of driver but on the trip home from the hospital I felt as if I was part of a Presidential Cavalcade with Secret Service armoured cars ahead, motorbike outriders etc

He drove sooooo slowly as if acknowledging crowds of local people waking flags and cheering. I had to keep looking out of the window to check there were no roadblocks and / or security checkpoints. Bless.

Ahhh! Those two are so lovely Kae and spider

His first smile. He was attached to my right boob at the time, and had been having an awful time with reflux, such a sad cross hurting baby, and i was on my knees with exhaustion and trying to move house at same time, and he didn't smile til he was ten weeks. Then he just gave me this naughty, conspiratorial grin and milk ran down his chin and everything was all right.

Also first word being 'mumma'.

I felt like a real mum when i took dd1 out for the first time in her pram. we went round a couple of shops and actually oh my god im here with my baby - im someones mum!

The first time (any everytime after) dd has fallen over/hurt herself (being my clumsy selfs daughter, she does this often) and toddling past everyother person with tears rolling down her cheeks until she finds me then getting me to kiss injury and everthing's okay because she stumbles back to whoever she was playing with or dh shouting mummy made good (she hasn't got the hang of full sentences yet)

Yes to all the vomit/poo, I've got/did have a very delicate stomach, not any more ! getting very excited for Xmas for the 2 dc, felt like my job was done last year when dd squealed with delight at her huge minnie mouse cuddly.
Picking up my ds from nursery and he races across the nursery room floor (crawling) to get to you, then looks at you like you are the only person in the world.
Being a mum is a revelation because I seemed to spend the first 6 months of my dd life being surprised she was there, sounds odd but I'd walk into a room, there she was in her basket/bouncy chair and I would do a sort of double take and realise she was mine, I know odd !

agree with all these but it doesn't stop when they get older.
Was a mum proud to bursting point to watch dd(then 17) on stage with the regional schools choir, singing the lead solo - my baby, singing all on her own with a voice that soared to the rafters and actually made one or two people cry.
all those years of Little bunny Foo Foo and The Wheels on the Bus have paid off!!

When I found a half eaten apple in my handbag.

When I first bonded with three-day old DD and suddenly realised what an exceptionally beautiful baby she was, especially compared with the other babies (cute, but not a patch on mine). Standing up to dragon of a headteacher to defend my DS from unkind staff even though I was nervous as hell about it.

being able to go places and do stuff with baby and toddler and their accompanying detritus (pram, scooter, nappies, change of pants, random trains, drinks, snacks) AND actually get everything done, have a reasonably good time and get home with everyone and everyone you started out with

That is definitely it for me, I remember being so surprised/proud the first time I did it!

Also have an abiding memory which I suspect will be with me for ever - went into labour with DD2 over a Saturday, so went through our normal Saturday with dd1, swimming lessons, cafe trip etc, with contractions getting more and more severe throughout the day - at some point in the afternoon DD1 did a poo in the toilet which at the time was a MAJOR event, and I was telling her how clever she was, while wiping her bottom, while having a horrendous contraction..."Just hang on a minute pet...(fuck fuck fuck OWWWWWWW)...here we go, is that all the poo away? Well done..." etc!! . Remember thinking that was the glamour and pain of motherhood all in a one-er!

*going through the first time they run a horribly high temp and you rush them to the Out of Hours.
*Name tapes, yes
*Dropping DS1 off at preschool for the first time.
*driving about with first baby in the car seat, for some reason, made me feel like a Real Mummy. [confused}
*Finding my Stern Mother voice and using it (too much).
*Clothing constantly covered with smears of paint, scrambled egg and snot.

When I realised that there would never be any downtime ever again - that the phrase '24-hours-a-day' can only be applied to motherhood. Whether it's the ups or the downs, it never stops.

When the midwife said 'guess what colour hair she's got?' and I said 'not red?' and burst into tears when DD was finally born after days of pfaffing around. And the overwhelming desire at the birth of both DCs, to hold my new baby in my arms.

And yes to nearly all the others as well!

When DD is poorly and I am somehow meant to know wha t to do - I remember the first time she was really ill I wanted to ask a grown up what to do. Took a while to sink in that I was, in fact, the grown up.

In hospital when DD1 was 4 months old and having to decide whether to wait and see if she got worse or have a spinal tap. Just that feeling of total responsibility (happy ending I refused spinal tap and mummy instict turned out to be right - it was a bad ear infection not menigitis thank God)

And watchng my two DCs sleep together all curled up in a heap and thinking I grew both of this. Me! No one else. Me.

Going to the doctor for her first injections - not that in itself, but sitting in the waiting room when they called her name, not mine.

And today, when for the first time I managed to get her down for a nap in her cot, and went to do some housework whilst she slept.

Ah, some of these are lovely, I'm sat her with tears streaming!!

When DD was about 8-9 months old, DH and I were both struck down with the worst sickness bug known to man, which DD somehow managed to avoid altogether. It fell to me to prepare and cook DD's dinner whilst trying not to heave, and sit with her whilst she ate it, whilst hearing DH puking upstairs.

At that moment, I thought this is it, I'm definately a mum now :o

Dropping DD (9 mths) off for her first settling in session at nursery this week. Seeing a peg with her name above it. Walking out of the door, hiding the tears streaming down my face from her. Picking her up three LONG hours later, with tears streaming down my face at the reality of it all.

Dreading Monday morning

Bring on Monday 5.00pm!

Similar to other comments but the first time they "properly" hurt themselves is a biggie, its a huge shock to realise that its up to you to make the decision and the hurt it causes you (I cried when DD split her lip open) - its quite a key moment.

Also forms asking for relationship to the child, "Mum" is about the closest you can get

I love hearing DD (3) saying "my mummy says ... " with some authority, and DS (18 months) clinging to my trouser leg in new places.

Children in need is making me cry already, the idea of anything happening to children, especially your own, is enough to make me sob. I think thats part ofbeing a mum.

when DH came back from the registry office and i almost sent him back as he had put my mums current surname and not her maiden name!!

then realised that the 'mother' they were referring to was me!

My son (2.10), when upset over something or other recently, telling me 'You are a pooey mummy'.
It really made my day .

I didn't feel like a real mum until I had my second. Now watching them play together, talking about "the children" - now it feels real.

When DS first rolled over. He'd been trying to for a good week, and when he finally managed it, it was perfect.

He was on his playmat, DP was playing with him and filming it all on his camera. He rolled over, looked straight at us with this wondrous "I BLOODY DID IT!" expression, and then he just burst out laughing.

Even DP got teary-eyed.

Fisrt time 3 year saw eldery lady being pushed in a wheelchair...she cries out "Mummy look quickly..It's a Granny in a buggy!"

Going on holiday during toilet training period...spent many hours locating disgusting public loos and each time my Dd insisted on almost sitting into the toilet bowl and making herself "comfy!!" Bath every night!!!

Aww, this thread is lovely.

I agree with the people who said it was when they have rung to make doctors appts for their dc's - when I rang and said I needed an appt for "my daughter" it was almost like I was speaking a foreign language, she was only a couple of weeks old (i think - hazy memory now!) Even now it seems strange.

She has recently started crawling towards me and climbing on me arms outstretched for a hug, feeling needed as a mum is a lovely feeling :)