Sassy, Bold & Unfiltered

Raising My Son, Navigating the Unknown & Learning as We Grow

Dear Diary… 💋

Now, y’all know I can talk about a little bit of everything. Books, life, relationships, random thoughts, and whatever else crosses my mind.

But today?

We’re talking about the most important little person in my world. MY SON. 🥹💕

I’m a mother to a three-year-old boy, and I’m raising him on my own.

And BABYYYYY…

MOTHERHOOD IS NOT FOR THE WEAK! 😭😂

Nobody handed me an instruction manual. Nobody gave me a step-by-step guide. And some days I genuinely wish motherhood came with a customer service number because I HAVE QUESTIONS!

But even on the hardest days, there’s nothing that could make me stop loving this little boy with everything in me.

🧩 Our Developmental Journey: Learning as We Go

There’s something about our journey that I want to be open about.

My son is currently somewhat nonverbal, and we’re navigating concerns surrounding his speech and development.

His doctors have placed us on a waiting list until March for developmental and autism testing.

So that means we don’t have a diagnosis. We’re simply waiting for evaluations that may help us better understand his development and what support he needs.

And let me tell y’all something…

The waiting?

BABYYYY, THE WAITING! 😭

As a mother, you want answers. You want to know how to help. You want to understand everything your child might need.

But sometimes there isn’t an immediate answer.

Sometimes you’re left with questions, appointments, research, and a whole lot of patience that you didn’t even know you had.

And that’s where I am right now.

Learning.

Observing.

Advocating.

And loving my baby through every single stage.

💕 Small Milestones, BIG Celebrations!

One thing this journey has taught me is that progress doesn’t have to look the same for every child.

Every new way my son communicates.

Every new skill.

Every little breakthrough.

Every moment when I understand him just a little better.

WE ARE CELEBRATING ALL OF IT! 🥹💕

And listen, I don’t care how small somebody else might think it is.

If it’s a big deal to my baby, it’s a big deal to ME!

I refuse to turn his childhood into a competition.

I’m not here to compare him to somebody else’s child.

I’m not here to put him on anybody else’s timeline.

His journey is HIS journey.

And I’m going to be right there beside him, encouraging him, supporting him, and cheering him on.

Because my son deserves to be celebrated for who he is, not measured against who somebody else thinks he should be.

🥹 The Part of Single Motherhood People Don’t Always See

Now, let’s talk about the part that isn’t always pretty.

Because being a single mother?

IT CAN GET HEAVY.

There are days when I wish I had another set of hands.

Somebody to share the responsibilities with.

Somebody to talk through the questions with.

Somebody to help carry the mental load.

Somebody to say, “We’ve got this,” when everything feels overwhelming.

And sometimes, I have to be that person for myself.

I have to remind myself that I’m capable.

That I’m learning.

That I don’t need to know everything today.

But I’m also learning that being strong doesn’t mean pretending I’m never tired.

Sometimes I worry.

Sometimes I overthink.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m making the right decisions.

And sometimes I just need a moment to myself.

Not because I don’t love being his mother. But because I’m human.

I can love my son more than anything in this world and still admit that motherhood is challenging.

I can celebrate his progress and still have questions about his development.

I can be independent and still wish I had more support.

Two things can be true at once, honey! 💕

💌 To My Son, If You Ever Read This…

My sweet boy,

I hope one day you read these words and understand just how much you’ve changed my life.

Before you, I thought I would never know what love is.

But loving you has taught me something completely different.

You’ve taught me patience.

You’ve taught me to pay attention to the little things.

You’ve taught me that communication is so much more than words.

And you’ve taught me that some of life’s most beautiful moments don’t need an explanation.

I don’t know exactly what the future holds.

I don’t know what answers we’ll receive in March.

And I don’t know every challenge or victory that may be waiting for us.

But I do know this.

You have never needed to be anybody other than yourself for me to love you.

You don’t have to reach a milestone on somebody else’s schedule.

You don’t have to communicate the same way everybody else does.

You don’t have to prove your worth to anybody.

You are already enough.

And whatever this journey brings, I will continue learning how to support you, advocate for you, and celebrate you.

You are my baby. My heart. My greatest little blessing.

And I hope you always know how proud I am to be your mother.

Love always,

Mommy. 💕

💋 But Don’t Forget, I’m Still KALAYSIA!

Now, let’s get one thing straight.

I’m a mother, but I’m still ME! 💅🏾

I’m still the girl who loves a good book.

Still the girl who can listen to Rod Wave and be in ALL her feelings.

Still the girl with dreams, goals, opinions, and a little attitude.

Motherhood has changed my life, but it hasn’t erased the woman I am.

I’m still growing.

Still learning.

Still discovering new things about myself.

And I want my son to grow up knowing that his mother loved him fiercely while continuing to believe in herself.

I want him to see a woman who never gave up on her dreams.

A woman who knew when to ask for help.

A woman who made mistakes, learned from them, and kept going.

A woman who showed him that strength isn’t about having everything figured out.

Sometimes strength is simply waking up and trying again.

👑 I’M A MUVA, AND I’M PROUD OF IT!

So here’s to the mothers doing their best.

The mothers navigating developmental concerns.

The mothers waiting for evaluations.

The mothers celebrating milestones that other people might overlook.

The mothers raising their babies on their own.

The mothers who have questions, worries, hopes, and dreams.

And the mothers who are still figuring out who they are outside of motherhood.

I SEE YOU. I UNDERSTAND YOU. AND I’M RIGHT THERE LEARNING, TOO. 💕

I don’t have every answer.

I don’t have a perfect parenting routine.

And I certainly don’t have every day figured out.

But I have love.

I have determination.

And I have a little boy who reminds me every day why I keep trying.

I’M A MUVA, I’M THAT GIRL, AND I’M STILL WRITING MY OWN STORY! 👑💕

☕ Before You Go…

To my fellow mothers: What’s one milestone, big or small, that made you incredibly proud of your child?

And if you’re navigating speech delays, developmental evaluations, or simply learning how to support your child in their own unique way, you’re welcome to share your experience in the comments.

Let’s celebrate our children and encourage each other without judgment or comparison.

Until the next diary entry…

Stay Sassy. Stay Bold. Stay Unfiltered. 💋

With Love, A Little Sass & A Whole Lot of Motherhood,

Kalaysia Owens 💕
Creator of Sassy, Bold & Unfiltered