Savoring the Present

Look at that beautiful smile for her 11 week picture!

It is starting to get harder to just put a post-it on her chest. She is starting to pick it up and crinkle it.

Quick, the camera again. Pose really cute! No problem.

Stand up and let your voice be heard!

Have you met my new friend? We're having a great time.

I have often used this blog to bemoan the harder moments of being a mother, mostly the early feedings and dirty diapers. I also am very guilty of looking forward to the milestones ahead of us. I want to take this time to appreciate the wonderful moments we are having now. So many people have commented on how fast this time really does fly. I have listened as many mothers have grieved not being able to hear those soft cooing baby sounds anymore. I truly enjoy being a mother to Emma. She is about the most pleasant baby I have seen, of course, I am partial. Love swells in my heart when I watch her fall asleep and her pacifier bounces in and out of her mouth until she sucks it in. Pride puffs out my chest when she looks at me with recognition and smiles and coos as her way of saying, "Look, it's my mommy!" Jealousy rears its ugly head when she is screaming her head off until I hand her over to her daddy when she immediately stops crying and begins to coo. Compelling love pulls me out of bed early in the morning at the hint of a hungry girl and somehow moves me to appreciate every moment I hold her. A smile spreads over my face when I see her so calmly enjoying her bath. I know we will never get these times back. They are here for a brief time until they disappear into memories. My memory is so bad, so I have to stop and write them down so I remember the blessings God pours on us at each and every step along the way. Emma is our present from God and I will try my best to enjoy the present with her.

Habit forming

Several people have commented (made fun of) how many pictures I take of Emma. Well, here is Emma with her own protest.

Daddy and Emma

Mommy and Emma

Fall has arrived and of course, we are over compensating. But, hey, bring the cold weather on, Emma is ready!

These are the two kids that I am helping with during the day. They are fascinated with Emma and I think Emma is amused too.

10 weeks and still as charming as ever

We have been bragging lately on how good of a baby Emma is. She must have heard us talking and decided that she has been too easy on us. She still probably is not bad in any sense of the word, but I am not accustomed to hearing crying unless she is hungry. So, Emma has decided to keep me on my toes. I have no idea what she wants or why she is upset. Has she just realized that she doesn't like me? Is she protesting wearing pink so often? Maybe she wants chocolate formula (She is my daughter after all). I think she is ready for intelligent conversation and frustrated at her inability to converse with us. You know, she is a genius, right? Or maybe, she is just having a bad day. Aren't we all allowed a bad day once in a while? I think now I am just going to cry and make people figure out what it is I want. Oh, I think I have done that before. So Emma gets her turn as a partially fledged female as well. I just hope she is not mad because I am not doing something about her apparent need that I am too dense to pick up on. So I am going to say sorry for all of the times I should be doing something but don't know what it is I am supposed to be doing. I am saving this, so Emma can look back and realize that her mom was not negligent, she was just new at the baby thing. Please forgive me, I am trying my best. But meanwhile, we are enjoying every moment of being parents. Some days I wonder if I could love her any more than I do. I was once told that it takes 10 weeks to develop a habit, so we have reached 10 weeks and I am in the habit of loving my daughter with every breath I take. I don't do anything without thinking of her first. She is a wonderful addition to our lives and we praise God for His good and perfect gift.

The Price of Motherhood

Being a big girl at 9 weeks old - a whole 2 months old!

Taking a boat ride and enjoying the beautiful fall weather and gorgeous trees.

Left alone one afternoon with dad and she winds up with a green mohawk and a tongue ring.

Ooooh, who doesn't enjoy a good bubble bath!

And who is this and why does she keep staring at me?

Having been a mother now for two months, there are many things about motherhood that are priceless.

Priceless:

Having your daughter look at you and smile

Picking up a crying girl that automatically stops when she is held by you

Seeing her grow and develop every day

Feeling her breath as she sleeps on my shoulder

But...there are times (such as 3:00 a.m. when I do most of my serious thinking) where I start to wonder how much I could actually charge for the not so wonderful moments.I start to think that in 10 years she will want an allowance for picking up her own toys. So now I am compiling a list of duties and charges that she will need to pay off before I start paying her.

changing a wet diaper - free

changing a dirty diaper - $25

dressing her - free

dressing her for the third time after she has spit up - $20

feeding her - free

feeding her at 4:00 a.m. - $100

holding her - free

holding her while trying to suck snot out of a stuffy nose - $30

doing her laundry - free

doing her laundry while holding her when she is screaming - $15

burping her - free

getting my dress creamed by spitup right before walking out the door - $45

Don't get me wrong, I love being a mother. But there are certain things that should be rewarded with cold hard cash.I don't believe my prices are too outrageous. I am not demanding pay now, I am just holding onto this list for the time when Emma thinks that I owe her! :)

Mommy's hands

I promise, I did not pose her for this photo. She is just naturally a show-off.

Mommy is so proud of her beautiful little girl.


Emma's first corn maze, she got out alive!

What a big girl!

Happy girl.

Getting more and more active everyday!

This morning (early this morning) I was thinking about how my hands once referred to as "stubby" and never considered elegant have been doing some very important jobs lately. Here are my thoughts.

A mommy's hands:



- rub little tummies when they are hurting



- wash and mix bottles for hungry babies



- dress babies so they are not cold and look pretty goood too



- shake toys in front of learning eyes



- hold books in front of learning minds



- hold crying babies when you don't know what else to do



- change diapers no matter how stinky they get



- pat backs to assist in burping



- try to hold wiggly babies in the tub to clean their milk-smelling bodies



- reach for that pacifier when all else fails



- take pictures of cute faces that will one day grow up and refuse a picture



-hand over babies to spend much-needed Daddy time (esp. when the wonderful baby has been crying)



- type blogs so others can ooh and aah over their babies too

Daily fun

The other morning I awoke to a happy girl just laying and waiting for her Mommy to wake up.

Tuckered out from playing with Mommy. I think Mommy likes the toys more than me.

These weird people that re always hanging around- they call them relatives?

Playing dress up - showing off my overalls.

All dressed in my hoodie and ready for a walk. Come on, let's go!

I was so proud of myself the other day. I got Emma dressed and fed, walked two miles with my video program, took a shower, fixed my husband a snack, and put a load of clothes in the washer all before 10:30. It may not sound like much, but I finally felt like I was getting the hang of this mom thing. But then Emma starts fussing and I can't console her and I am back to square one feeling like an amateur. Truth is we start everyday trying to do the best we can before a God who loves us even when we don't get clothes washed before 10:00. There are many days I get a lot done, but do not acknowledge God's presence. God is much prouder and happier with me when I spend time with him even if the dishes have to wait. I am so glad I have a loving and patient God. Just as I am happy when Emma needs me and pleased to do for her, God is waiting for us to realize we need Him and ask for his help. Cry and He will come running.