Proud Mommy Moments: Heather of Theta Mom is Bringing Community to the Corner

  

The mere mention of her name shouts COMMUNITY to me!!!

For a girl like me, who never pledged a sorority *but wanted to* she gives me a place to feel like I belong.

Today’s Proud Mommy is an amazing woman I am so proud to call my friend: Heather of Theta Mom. 

 There are plenty of bloggers that inspire and motivate me here in the internet world, but from the time I first clicked onto her site, I felt the sisterhood that she works so hard to nurture and cultivate among us as moms, entrenpenuers and women.

She is  truly one of a kind.

From her heartfelt posts about mothering, to her Marketplace that promotes other women owned businesses to her new venture called Launching Mom that she introduced a few months ago, she shows me again and again how a small ripple can make waves that carry everyone to shore.

Heather is smart, aware and completely approachable.

She is a true example of the phrase that I love, “it takes a village” and she lives that philosophy by making her blog a success by lifting the other blogges around her.

But Thursdays are all about being a Mommy and she does that best.

Her best work goes into the little boy and little girl who call her “Mom” so it’s such a thrill for me to have her here today.

So here she is, with her beautiful Mommy Moment:

*here’s your tissues my friends*   

Two Hands

{By Heather Reinhard of Theta Mom® http://www.thetamom.com}

It’s no secret that my daughter has struggled since she was 18 months old. I’ve openly blogged about some of our challenges and triumphs ever since I knew that something was off…

Having a child prior to my daughter, I immediately saw some red flags when she wasn’t babbling.  In those early days, I sought guidance from our pediatrician and other professionals to get her the kind of help she needed.

The bottom line is my daughter was frustrated in her inability to communicate.

And as a mom, I felt helpless.

I felt like a complete failure, like I was failing my daughter.

She would cry in sheer frustration and tantrum terribly to the point of no return because she couldn’t babble the sounds or make gestures to tell us what she wanted or needed. Even when Speech Therapy started when she was 18 months old, I knew we were in for a long, long road to healing – for all of us.

As a family, we were torn apart.

We were all tired.

And my poor baby was the one who suffered the most – we never knew what she really wanted or needed because she simply could not express it.

Those early days when she was a baby were some of the hardest parenting moments of my life, especially the ones I remember when I was lying next to her, uncontrollably crying myself, trying so desperately to soothe her as she continued to kick and scream…

Within the first few sessions, the Speech Therapist started signing with my daughter. Signing would ultimately be the first steps toward some sort of communication. She taught my daughter the word “more” by making two fists and tapping them together. If she wanted more milk, more food, more anything, at least I would know that she wanted “more” if she cued me by making that motion with her fists.

We worked on that sign for two straight weeks and – nothing. The tantrums and crying still ensued and we were all still so exhausted.

And frustrated.

But we never gave up hope…

One random evening at the dinner table, I reached across the table to grab the bowl of mashed potatoes when I looked over at my daughter. She was sitting in her chair staring at her hands.

I was glued to her face as I watched her slowly turn her hands around and mold them into fists. She continued to stare at her fists and then she looked up at me. While looking directly into my eyes, she began to move and tap her two fists together.

Still holding the bowl of mashed potatoes, tears streamed down my face.

With my hands trembling and voice cracking, I managed to ask my daughter, “More? Do you want MORE mashed potatoes sweetheart?”

She continued to tap her fists together.

And she smiled a real, genuine smile.

For the first time in nearly two years, at that very moment, my daughter communicated with me.

Beaming with pride – THAT is the kind of proud Mommy Moment I will NEVER, EVER forget.

 

OH Heather, my heart leapt and smiled as much as yours did as I read this. It is the little things that become the BIG things, the life changing moments. I am so honored that you chose to share this moment here with me.

Now that you’ve met and read about my amazing friend, I invite you to head over to her space and see why she is such an inspiration to me:

Heather’s Blog: Theta Mom

Like her FACEBOOK PAGE (Theta Mom Heather) or follow her on Twitter @Thetamom

 and I encourage you to become part of Launching Mom to give your blog and career a boost!

 

Heather it has been such an honor to have you here in my space. Thank you for all your love, support and friendship.

 

 

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