So it’s that time of the year again where quite a few of you would be sending out cards and flowers along with a box of chocolates, and booking a pedicure for your mothers. Here I am on the eve of Mother's Day pondering over how a 'mother' features significantly in our highs and lows of all that life has to offer.

Let me tell you a bit about how things went on the upswing in 2010, both in my personal and professional lives: I became a part of Coke Studio, a brand ambassador for L'Oréal, I saw tremendous growth as a model and a singer, achieved overwhelming success and appreciation, and gained the most wonderful of fans.

To the least of many people’s expectations, I experienced another great highlight during 2010: my husband Mahmood and I learnt that we would be cradling our very own bundle of joy. Both his and my immediate families are very small so the news of a tiny little new member was met with great celebration.

Our daughter, whom we adoringly call “Baby J”, is the first grandchild on both sides of the family. The most overjoyed amongst us all are my grandparents. Their faces glow every time they hold their first great granddaughter in their arms.

I have always wanted to be a young mother. It's a beautiful feeling to be able to keep up with your children's energy level and be able to connect and become friends when they are older. The sooner you have children, the more time you get to spend with them, to see how they enrich your life, how their smile, even if it's just a little twinkle in their eyes, makes everything more wonderful.

Life this year is certainly different from what it was in 2010, but it has changed in the best possible way. It's all about priorities really – my child will always be my first priority, spending time with my baby, bonding and seeing her grow every step of the way is far more precious than a night out now. I feel that once you learn how to maintain a balance between parenthood and social/professional commitments, life is sorted. I'm still learning of course. But I must say that I've learned from the best. My mother has done an exceptional job raising us and living her own life side by side. My mother was a single parent and an all-rounder artiste, she was the disciplinarian as well as the one who pampered and showered me with affection. In short, she is the best example of a super mom.

As a child, I considered my mum to be an authoritative, intimidating figure – as someone who one was answerable to, as someone who was to be looked up to, as someone who one strove to please.

But by the time I was a bit older, my mother became a friend and a confidante. Someone I could count on to come to my rescue no matter what kind of trouble I managed to get myself into. Even if there was a tight slap waiting to sting me once we were home, I knew that she was the one person in the whole world who would love me and now, having my own daughter, I'm just beginning to fathom exactly how much parents do for their children, and how much we take it for granted.

These days, apart from taking care of Baby J, I also try to keep fit as I believe that I need to keep my energy levels high for my daughter. Having a husband who's in great shape also helps. Mahmood and I are good at keeping each other in check. I am not obsessive about dieting and believe in healthy eating and an active lifestyle. So it was easy to lose the baby weight. The best piece of advice I can give mothers to be, try and be as active during your pregnancy as possible. It pays off greatly afterwards. Getting back into shape is so much easier that way and you will relish every moment of your life.

The sleepless nights, the unconditionally of it, having and raising children is a tough, tough job that you can only relate to once you've been through it personally. However, as challenging as parenthood might be at times, it is by far the most rewarding job without question.

As I sit back and reflect, I realise that life is unpredictable. There are good times and there are difficult times but no matter what, it's our mothers and their prayers that keep us going. To all the mothers out there, who offer the most unconditional support, endless care and love us no matter how many times we break their hearts, celebrate yourselves. Happy Mother's Day!!!

The writer is a model and a singer, and a new mother enjoying the bliss life has to offer