*Disclaimer: I am participating in the J&J For All You Love campaign and have received compensation for sharing my heartfelt motherhood tribute for Mother’s Day and to promote JOHNSON’S® Baby CARES Care Cards, a digital e-card platform encouraging moms to share positive messages of encouragement with other moms across the country, while simultaneously supporting Save the Children®*

Twelve years ago, I stood in classroom filled with desks and children.  I loved my job and my career choice.  I loved seeing light bulbs shine above my students’ little heads once they finally processed a concept.

Though the paperwork, the parent conferences, the hours spent planning often overshadowed the bright faces that filled my classroom, I loved teaching and I did so for seven years.

Then, I became pregnant and when I heard my little one’s heartbeat in our very first sonogram, I knew my life and my career path would change forever.  That day, I willingly made the choice to be a stay at home mom to raise the baby that grew inside me.

As my little one grew, I sang songs to my belly.  I read stories to a baby that I hadn’t met yet to ensure my little one would know my voice.  On the day she was born, the moment the nurses placed my newborn baby girl on my chest, I looked into her little swollen eyes and cried.  Though we only just met, I fell in love with my baby girl.

Twelve years later that love has grown and multiplied as our family grew and multiplied with the birth of two more babies.  Each time, I instantly fell in love with them all.

I am still at home, raising my children and I often miss my teaching days, but I don’t regret my choice.  I don’t need to ask for a personal day or worry about substitute plans.  Though most days balancing three kids can be tough, for the most part, we have fun.

The other day, my seven year old completed an “All About Me” poster.  In the “What I want to be when I grow up” section, she wrote “I want to be a mommy.”

I asked, “Why do you want to be a mom when you grow up?  Why not a teacher or a doctor?”

“Because moms have fun.  Moms go on field trips and take their kids places and spend time with them and love their kids.”

Yes, we certainly do.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-GqzzmLxh3I

In celebration of Mother’s Day this year, JOHNSON’S® Baby has established JOHNSON’S® Baby CARES Care Cards, a digital e-card platform encouraging moms to share positive messages of encouragement with other moms across the country, while simultaneously supporting Save the Children®.  You can help, too!

Simply pick and share a card filled with messages of reassurance for a Mom in your life on Facebook at http://www.johnsonsbabycares.com. For every card sent, shared or liked, JOHNSON’S®  Baby will donate $1.00 to Save the Children® (up to $150,000) to benefit early childhood education programs that foster education and reassurance for new moms. These cards will not only spread encouragement to Moms throughout the country but will also provide Moms in need with the skills and knowledge to successfully support their child’s growth.