The Brewers - Josh, Dana & Ruth

I never really liked using paper plates. I have always felt they were picnics and camping, right? Plus if you have dishes and a dishwasher why not use the real thing? Maybe it is the Jackie O in me. Well since having a baby I have changed my ways on many things this being one of them. I LOVE,LOVE, LOVE PAPER PLATES. They are a new moms best friend. Screw washing dishes I would rather spend more time with my baby girl.

I don’t know why, but the sense of smell has always been a big thing to me. I still to this day know what my 2nd grade teacher smelled like, the scent of perfume my grandma Ruth used that she had in this cute turtle figurine on her dresser and the undeniable smell of my mother who has this mixture of smells that I don’t know if I could put into words. When I was little I would snuggle with my mom on the couch and afterward I would go to bed and I could still smell her on my pj’s. She always had a couple distinct scents: Cliniqué aromatics, some amber stuff from Victoria’s secret, Nivea lotion, and of course very strong hints of patchouli. Some how it all mixes together and you have the scent of my mom.

While growing up this scent became stronger and I swear my mother would drench herself is in these smells so you would know when she was coming or if she had been there. I have to be honest I didn’t always like this scent because it was very strong. She used to - well, still does - spray her scent all over any package she sends to me. The poor UPS man always gives me strange looks when my packages come at Christmas and birthdays. Recently, she came for a baby shower my friends and church were having for me and I know she rubbed patchouli oil all over my guest bedroom. I still can’t get rid of the hippie smell even after washing every thing.

Well, as many women know, after you have your first baby many things change. After recently giving birth to my first daughter I have found my aversion to my mom’s scent changing. My mom was so wonderful to come and help me during the birth and then stayed for a week and half to help me get settled with my new baby. Really what she did was help calm all the fears you have as a new mommy and kept me laughing along the way. I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I was that she was there with me.

While she was here I let her borrow one of my big fuzzy bathrobes because it was so cold. After she left I had put the bathrobe in my closet and forgot about it. Then one day after showering I was changing in my closet when I smelled it, the scent of my mother. I grabbed the bathrobe and wrapped myself in all my mom’s wonderful scent and sat down and just had a good cry. I know this sounds like the typical postpartum mom. I realized, after all these years, that I don’t hate this smell, but that it really is a comfort to me and the smell of someone I love dearly.

I hope that my daughter will know and one day love the scent of her mom.