My Daughter's First Mother's Day

My daughter has had an incredible year. She has had many changes in her life. She has gotten married. She has moved into a new home. After a company down-sizing, she has found a new employer. But, most importantly, of all of the major changes in her life, she has become a mother. She has recently given birth to a beautiful, healthy daughter. We are delighted with how everything has worked out for our daughter. Life has not always been easy for her. In spite of some major obstacles, she has conquered her demons and adapted to a new life.

Being a new mother is a reward in itself, but I wanted to let my daughter know how proud I am of her and how delighted I am for her. I wanted to find a special Mother's Day gift for my daughter's first Mother's Day. The first time a woman gets to celebrate Mother's Day is a wonderful "rite of passage". It is a memorable time; one that is never forgotten. I wanted to be a part of this remarkable time in her life by giving her a token gift.

I could have given her a Day Spa package to the local Salon. She could have her hair cut and styled in a way that would be easy to care for in view of her lack of time to do so. She could have a one-hour relaxation massage to help ease the stress she has had with all of the changes in her life. She could also have a cleansing facial to help with her hormone-related blemishes often caused by pregnancy. A pedicure and manicure would also be included in this package that promises to cater to you from head to toe. Although my daughter would appreciate this gift package, she would not be able to fully enjoy all of the aspects of this, as she is still quite nervous leaving her infant for a couple of hours, let alone an entire day. This gift would be better for my daughter at a later stage and age in motherhood.

I also could have chosen a gift card for her to shop for a new outfit at her favorite clothing store. Like most new mothers, she needs a larger wardrobe after childbirth for about a year, until she loses the excess weight. She would be able to choose an outfit for work, for exercise, or for casual times spent at home. Even though she's a larger size, it is important for her to stay stylish and up-to-date on the newest trends. Her extra "baby weight" is a temporary setback, so this gift may not be as acceptable for her or appreciated. None of us wants to be reminded that we can't wear our favorite clothing because of weight gain, even if it is temporary.

The token gift I selected to give my daughter for her first Mother's Day is an Italian charm bracelet. I have chosen a few Italian charms to start this bracelet and she can add to it over the years, marking memorable times in her daughter's life. The Italian charms I have chosen to add to this bracelet are a "Mother and baby", "It's a Girl", "Greatest Mom", and an Aquamarine Italian charm, which is the birthstone for March, the month her daughter was born.

My daughter will enjoy wearing this Italian charm bracelet for years and years. I'm sure she will be reminded this is the gift I chose to celebrate her first Mother's Day and it will have as much meaning for her as it does for me. I also chose an Italian charm bracelet for myself; after all, this Mother's Day will be my first to celebrate being a grandmother!