Dear Mason

I've always wondered why don't they do a realistic pregnancy commercial. The ones where you see women who sweat when they miss their cycle then pee on the stick n anxiously wait the 3 minutes suggested. As your waiting (basically staring at it to turn) ur heart is beating out of ur chest as confirmation of those infamous 2 lines appear n u freeze then say OH SHYT!!! I've exercised my pro-choice rights more times than enuff but I knew-this was the one. I sucked it up to accept responsibility and it's been my greatest work of art yet. 

The joys of motherhood. There is no right or wrong way of parenting nor do u get sent home with a baby blueprint book. Ur left holding this bundle of joy like-now what. I totally bypassed the parenting classes n feel like those lamaze joints is waste of time. You never know what can happen yet ur learning breathing techniques and end up getting an emergency c-section! Although u get plenty of unsolicited motherly advice I had my stepmom n Gramnea on speed dial at all times. Becuz of them I was able to bypass the overly extra carefulness first moms be having, ya know...the sanitizer bottle attached to their hips for family n friends to drown in before they touch this new golden child. 

Mason will be 12 this year. EEEK!! Pre-teen right? Lawd I'm not ready. Time ain't waiting on nothing and it's a beautiful thing watching him grow. I adopted a different parenting style and judge if u want but it works for ME. Boys are FUN! I don't have to be gentle n becuz I don't coddle he will be well prepared in another 7 yrs. Before I even get started, technically I am not a single mother. Mason's dad is very much involved in raising mason...from afar-meaning we are good co-parents n he takes care of us. Ok now back to what iiiiiiiii do...

Everyday I struggle with trying to balance letting him explore and protecting him **cue Regina Belle-If I Could** I enjoy his innocence of him being a kid. I am fully aware that one day I will clip the wings and he will be unleashed upon this world. I would be lying if I said I'm not sorta afraid given this climate and the times we live in. I do not blame kid-less singles or couples who choose to not have kids. I mean look around u and what they have left. Aside from the obvious police brutality-They taking clocks away, no more pledging allegiance to the flag and got dmn what happened to learning cursive? sheesh no more signatures huh. I know it's a generational trend or culture based on how we raise our kids and I've had some pretty good examples growing up. Our kids are an extension of us and when Mason steps out he reps his parents. I want him to grow up humble because I don't believe in the "my child will want for nothing" motto. These kids growing up a tad too spoiled and entitled which is setting them up for failure in the future. 

IN LIFE...there are no hand outs. Nobody gives a phk about how cute u are. Nobody in the real world gives a dmn bout the fresh Jordan's on ur feet. Nor does anybody give a dmn bout how hurt ur feelings are. I mean really...who goes crying to mommy for them to pull up to the job n curse ur boss out? I'm just saying. Yes, ur child is very special and the typical kid genius (til it's time to potty train) and yes they oh so fly in all the latest n greatest of clothes along wit the hottest toys on the block buuuuut blink twice and now they teens who then become adults. Do they know the value of a dollar? Can they cross the street without holding ur hand? Hell I used to walk ALONE around Mason age through Shipley Park with a note in my hand to get my aunt: stand back, RC and pall mall cigarettes! These kids are so unaware n oblivious to they surroundings becuz we are in the tech age- I get it. I tell Mason all the time, he has no idea how good he has it. He is enjoying luxury from the fruits of MY labor, blood, sweat and tears. His living conditions won't be as opulent out the gate as he lives now. My first place was in the hood becuz it was what I could afford. For $550 a month plus electric, I enjoyed my one bedroom. So what I came outside to bammaz sitting on my car chillin, weed infested hallways and having to replace my radio cuz someone broke into my car. It was MINE!! 

My sweet innocent angel who does no wrong **wipes away twinkle in eye** I've made him into an independent young man-it's a gift n curse in hindsight though lol. I want him to be equipped with real life shyt becuz ya never know how long I'll be around. If the good lawd calls on me to go the upper room, I wanna make sure my baby ain't gotta depend on nobody. Yes, folks can laugh and criticize that I'm forcing him to grow up too soon and "he's too young" but make no mistake...these kids are much smarter than u think. They are more advanced than we were at their ages or maybe my child is just beyond his years. 

At 5 yrs old, MY BABY was cooking his own grilled cheeses. How bout ch'ows **nose up** He was so excited making that grilled cheese and he ain't did shyt since lol. Well he's a pro at oodles n noodles but now since he's older he's graduated to eggs n bacon (when he not running from popped grease *le sigh*).  Coming soon he will be making a chicken meal. I can't be having my baby relying on these little scallywags to be cookin cuz they flat tummy tea mama's ain't teaching em shyt.

Ooooh u thought I ironed his clothes huh...lmaoooo!!! I taught him how to wash clothes-mainly becuz I don't want my clothes to mingle with his :7 Boys are just disgusting! But yes, he takes out the trash, pumps gas, opens doors...awl that. Mason is overall a good kid. He's always been babysittable until he was able to babysit himself (the main ones who laughed at me still paying for daycare and/or looking for babysitters to merely run to the store or get a pedi...**insert evil laugh**) The key is...u have to know ur child and I mean REALLY know ur child. I know what mason can handle n what he gotta work on to get better. When I introduce him to something I start off slow but last year while on bedrest I threw him to the wolves honey!!

I needed a quick run to the grocery store n didn't wanna wait for my baby daddies so I hit Mason wit the game plan: take this list, facetime me if u need assistance, here's the PIN number, get 20 back for urself-let's just saaaaay mission was accomplished and he was so proud of himself in that very moment. YES BRAGGING ON A HUNNIT as we sat in the car cheesing n high fiving talking trash like WHO u know grocery shopping at YO age? WHO??? I'll wait...and he replies...yea nobody ma, nobody but me :D That's my baby. We are now onto finances (in which even I am still learning myself). He gets an allowance every week and he pays bills. YES-bills. Mock bills of course but nonetheless he gets the idea. Since he gets paid every week: Week 1 is rent (cuz rent be due on the 1st of the month right), Week 2-freebie, Week 3-utilities Week 4 is a freebie or rent depending on the calendar. Every "paycheck" he gets he automatically pays taxes (that was my dad's idea) and at the end of the year he'll get a "tax return". I have him keep up with what is deposited and withdrawn but leave the budgeting up to him. I noticed by using this method, he's not so quick to run thru these $40-60 headsets so quick and he pays more attention to what costs and compares pricing. 

Mason knows I don't play when it comes to education. We have a tradition where he gets a gift on the 1st day of school as a pep start to an excellent school year ahead. He has never not came home without being on the honor roll...oh wait...I think the last report card he got a D in Math n when he knew restrictions were upon him he hits me wit the "but I'm responsible for my age mom" lol. This kid I tell ya. His teachers rave on how well he is in class (never mind the class clown issue we had a few grades back) and I allow him to be creative becuz I don't want to hinder his indivuality n be himself. His dad was against this blonde hair for a loooong time til I convinced him to let him enjoy being a kid. Mason's take on it "I can't do this when I'm older and have a job" hahaha a forward little thinker isn't he. 

I am excited to watch him grow. We have a really good bond n healthy relationship. I look back on his quirky moments to where I told him to put his hat on his head but to speak the language of male species u gotta be specific (picture above where he literally put the hat on his head yet didn't remove the hoodie) or waking up to a whole sheet of tats on his chest becuz he clearly woke up before me. I have no regrets and happily go through all of his phases of the characters he's obsessed with at the moment becuz I've rolled over plenty of monster trucks, sat thru Cars movies, grabbed TMNT costumes, and now it's Naruto **eyeroll** 

Being a mom is by far one of the hardest yet rewarding jobs I know I'll ever have. The love he gives me motivates me to be the best mom I can be to support his dreams and also push him to do nothin less than greatness. I want to be able to lay down the foundation to help instill integrity and know that it's M.O.B. (mommy over bytchez) fo' lyfe!! I've made plenty of sacrifices to make sure he had a good education, clothes n food along with extra's to indulge in. I am strict to a fault becuz I want the best for him. This boy is the continuation of my legacy n the extension of my heart. I want to continue to lead by example on the type of woman I might let him be wit one day. I remind him he's a rising King and to act accordingly becuz he ain't have to grow up how iiiiii did so he does have certain advantages that I didn't have. Nonetheless u WILL put in that work. Be a giver to those less fortunate becuz ya never know if the wheels may turn n ur on the receiving end. One of the cutest traditions I'll always hold near n dear to my heart is every night since he's been able to talk we sing Lenny Williams (I actually randomly do this now). 

Me: Cuz I looooooooove you....

Mason: and I neeeeeeed you!

Aaaaaah Mason, just know one day you'll look back at this post, reminisce on the fun times or the time u txt'd me and said "I know we've had our ups n downs" LOL and even the times I whooped yo azz n know that it was all in love. You know yo mama crazy n I don't take no shyt. Be yourself cuz I will call u out on some fake shyt. Remember when u roasting we go for the jugular n take no prisoners. Ain't no bullyin shyt ova here bruh, u light they azzez up as necessary and NO u will never be able to out jone me-THE masta. Yes, yo mama is fly-duh n u aight too witchoooo ol' ugly azz <3

Smooches 

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