Mothering

Papa Bear Love - New Baby New Paltz

Mothering

Papa Bear Love

by Donna Bruschi on Jun 11, 2023
There is someone very special in my life who does not get enough credit in my weekly writings; he goes by the name of Papa Bear or Rita’s Daddy! This wonderful man is also my best companion and husband. Since we decided to have a child, our journey together has been full of pleasant surprises: how exciting and intoxicating it is to watch the man you love take on the role of father.
Toddler in wool hat and green coat sitting in a patch of ferns

Mothering

Sing a Song of Spring!

by Donna Bruschi on Mar 24, 2023
Hello Mamas! I just can’t wait for the turn of seasons, I long for the type of days where I can just send little Rita out the door barefoot in a sundress! As the snow continues to melt and songbirds welcome the return of spring with a song, I am reminded that good things truly do come to those who wait. Signs of spring begin to surround us, buds breathe new life into the trees, Mother Maple begins her first flows of sugary goodness, all the while the Earth slowly moves those of us in the northern hemisphere closer to the sun. As northerners we are rewarded for our patience with spring, glorious spring!   But, alas it is still a long way to barefoot days, as spring rains make rain boots an absolute necessity for little explorers! The transition of late winter into spring is a time of hope. We have passed through the long cold winter and we are comforted by the knowledge that warmer more simple days are soon on their way. Days where runny noses and colds are few, while outside play dates and barbeques are plenty! Tiny fingers and toes touch new spring grass for the first time!  I will always carry with me happy memories of my daughter’s first spring, how exciting it was for this touch oriented little being to experience the wonders of nature first hand. Imagine the transition from a winter world filled with carpets, cabinets and electric heating followed by spring filled with fresh grass, cold stones, wet mud and emerging crocus flowers! There must be a burst of neurological activity as babies are able to explore the outside world for the first time. Spring is the mother of the seasons; she gives birth to summer which nourishes life through fall and winter! I find that the energies of spring strongly align themselves with the energies of mothering. So many of our mammalian relatives give birth in the spring, while simultaneously our plant allies blossom and fruit throughout the season, it is no wonder that my mothering instincts so too seem to flourish and blossom. Spring serves as a reminder to rejoice in the magnificence life has to offer. When I witness the explosion of life that spring embodies I am reminded how sacred the beginnings of life truly are.  It is no wonder that most ancient fertility festivals take place in spring! As I look at my daughter, I am humbled. The miracle of life resides in her and it is through her that I have been reborn! Through the journey of motherhood I have become a first hand participant in the miracle of life, the never ending spiral. As woman, as mother, I am sister to the spring, bearer of life, ever connected to all things. As I feel spring move through me I am reassured that I am one with the world, standing just where I am supposed to be. With two feet on the ground I embrace the path that motherhood has taken me on; spring reminds me to let loose, be free and enjoy the ride! Till Next Time, Sing a Song of Spring! Be Well, Jasmine
Happy Halloween 2014 - New Baby New Paltz

Mothering

Happy Halloween 2014

by Donna Bruschi on Oct 31, 2014
   
Cry-It-Out - New Baby New Paltz

Mothering

Cry-It-Out

by Donna Bruschi on Jan 20, 2014
My mom (who had three kids, and apparently amnesia) asked more than once how I could stand it when all three kids were all crying. I would said, "This is nothing. I don't think it's bad until I'm crying."