New Mommy Monday! Meet Crystal and Charlee!
Meet Crystal Drakeford, the mother of Charlee Marie. Crystal is an active member of
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated (Hey Sorhor!) and a big advocate of
supporting our nation’s Veterans. Charlee Marie is a curious one-year-old who loves
making music with her mom’s pots and pans and enjoys bike rides with her dad. Keep
reading to hear about their wonderful transition from infant to toddler!
State your name and baby(ies) name
Hello, my name is Crystal Drakeford and my daughter’s name is Charlee Marie and we are new residents of Charles County, Maryland.
How long have you been a mommy?
I just reached the one year mark of being a mom. Yayyy!!! One down and a lifetime to go.
What is your favorite thing about motherhood so far?
Something gets added to the list every day because Charlee is at that stage where she
is exploring and learning new things, and so am I. Charlee is teaching me to be the
best version of myself and she brings out the best in me! It’s hard to pinpoint one
thing because motherhood is so pure and every moment is special.
From her warm hugs and excited eyes when I pick her up from daycare to the moment
she decides to share her favorite snack with me. As a mom, I cherish every second and I
look forward to our continuous journey.
What are you struggling with right now?
Charlee is a new toddler who is constantly exploring and experimenting, and it can be a
struggle with taking a proactive approach to the unknowns. We, of course, childproof
everything to reduce the opportunities for mischief and distraction, but Charlee somehow
finds a way to get into something. She laughs at me when I say “no” and sometimes it
hard for me to keep a straight face.
What is your goal as a mother of color?
My goal is to teach her self-love and provide her with the needed tools so she can be
anything she wants to be. I want to teach her that God directs her life and no one is
perfect; we are all beautiful creations of God and we each have a purpose. I want to
teach her our family history and keep her grounded in our culture and morals. I want her
teach her our family history and keep her grounded in our culture and morals. I want her
to be reminded of her roots because even now, people ask me if she’s Asian due to the
shape of her eyes and skin tone. “No, she’s black!”
How are you balancing your roles now that you have added motherhood?
I’m blessed to have a strong support team who is with me every step of the way. And you learn that you can’t always do everything, so prioritizing your to-do list definitely makes a difference. It gets hard sometimes because I work full time, I try to remain active in my sorority efforts, I try to stay in tune with my social life and I’m a fulltime, breastfeeding mom. I will always put my daughter’s needs first, so sometimes schedules can go completely out the window. I use to try to get everything done, and that’s not always the case when you have a little one depending on you. I learned that self-care includes saying “no” once in a while so you’re not stressed out and have more time for what’s important.
Are there any experiences that are shaping your approach to motherhood?
Every experience has an effect on what your next steps would be. Motherhood for me is full of the unknowns because I’ve never been a mom before, but I do my best in planning as much as I can. Also, being part of a mom tribe and reading blogs, such as this one, has helped me along the way. It has opened me up to a diverse way of approaching the different stages of motherhood.
If you have any advice for a mother of color to be what would you tell them?
You’re not the first and you won’t be the last! Being a mother of color in today’s period requires being more than a mother. So continue to pray and remain strong. You Got This!