My son recently turned 1 year old. My husband and I watched as he cautiously touched his first cake before proceeding to plant his mouth in the middle of it. He looked up at us after a few seconds with pure delight, white frosting spread across his face. My heart warmed with joy and I felt tears well up in my eyes. I love watching him experience everything for the first time, seeing his mind work as he takes in new flavors and concepts. Reflecting on his first year, I thought to myself, “What an amazing boy,” and I also thought “I’m an amazing mom.” Yes, I was proud of him and I was proud of myself. This feeling might seem like a strange one for a mom to feel on her child’s first birthday. We don’t often speak of celebrating moms in these moments, but I have come to realize that I see motherhood very differently than most.