Bethany Hamilton celebrates first Mother's Day, says raising son Tobias has been an 'incredible blessing'

Bethany Hamilton says being a mother to Tobias Dirks is 'one of the best things ever!' (Instagram/Bethany Hamilton)

"Soul Surfer" Bethany Hamilton is really excited and thankful to celebrate her first Mother's Day this coming Sunday as a mom to her son Tobias Dirks.

To honour the event, she shared a photo of her carrying Tobias using a Tula Baby Carrier on her Instagram account (@bethanyhamilton).

"Raising Tobias has been such a whirlwind of emotions for Adam and me. The first two months of being new parents were especially tough for us, but it has been such an incredible blessing to watch him grow and for us to learn how to be parents," she captions the photo. "I have been so grateful for the things that have helped me through this new and challenging time that motherhood brings."

Hamilton earlier said that she immediately fell in love with her son the first moment she held him. Right then and there, Hamilton already knew she would die for Tobias.

"It was instant love and so magical to hold a child that has grown inside me, knowing I had brought another life into the world," she told The Daily Mail.

One thing that Hamilton is really excited to share with her son is her Christian faith and how it helped her deal with her shark accident at the age of 13.

'I'm so excited to tell my son about my accident, as he will see how I'm not your typical mom," she said. "As soon as he's old enough, I'm going to explain how I ended up with one arm, but then tell him life got even better because of what happened to me."

Hamilton hopes that Tobias will learn the value of hard work and determination through her story. "I want to show him a shark might have bitten off my arm, but that doesn't stop you in life, it just makes you even more determined and stronger," she said.

related articles
Bethany Hamilton honoured that she gets to encourage women to pursue healthy lifestyle
Bethany Hamilton honoured that she gets to encourage women to pursue healthy lifestyle

Bethany Hamilton honoured that she gets to encourage women to pursue healthy lifestyle

Bethany Hamilton talks about \'magical\' feeling of motherhood and its struggles
Bethany Hamilton talks about 'magical' feeling of motherhood and its struggles

Bethany Hamilton talks about 'magical' feeling of motherhood and its struggles

Bethany Hamilton says \'strong is the new beautiful,\' urges women to love their roles and abilities
Bethany Hamilton says 'strong is the new beautiful,' urges women to love their roles and abilities

Bethany Hamilton says 'strong is the new beautiful,' urges women to love their roles and abilities

Bethany Hamilton hosts Make-A-Wish Hawaii Surf Camp, inspires participants to pursue their dreams
Bethany Hamilton hosts Make-A-Wish Hawaii Surf Camp, inspires participants to pursue their dreams

Bethany Hamilton hosts Make-A-Wish Hawaii Surf Camp, inspires participants to pursue their dreams

Bethany Hamilton admits she dislikes talking about shark attack, wants to focus more on role of faith in her recovery
Bethany Hamilton admits she dislikes talking about shark attack, wants to focus more on role of faith in her recovery

Bethany Hamilton admits she dislikes talking about shark attack, wants to focus more on role of faith in her recovery

News
Fire severely damages historic Amsterdam church on New Year’s Day
Fire severely damages historic Amsterdam church on New Year’s Day

A major fire tore through one of Amsterdam’s best-known historic buildings in the early hours of New Year’s Day, seriously damaging the property and forcing people to leave nearby homes.

Rwanda’s president on the defensive over church closures
Rwanda’s president on the defensive over church closures

Rwandan President Paul Kagame defended the government's forced closure of Evangelical churches, accusing them of being a “den of bandits” led by deceptive relics of colonialism. 

We are the story still being written
We are the story still being written

The story of Christ continues in the lives of those who take up His calling.

Christians harassed, attacked all over India at Christmas
Christians harassed, attacked all over India at Christmas

International Christian Concern reported more than 80 incidents in India, some of them violent, over Christmas.