Let It Snow.

It's snowing. A rarity here in GA. It's well below freezing. And though it's a Monday and I should be working, Cannon and I are in our pajamas watching it snow and watching The Muppets Christmas Carol here and there. I made a big ol pot of cheesy buttery grits for breakfast and Cannon sucked them down as he usually does. It's too cold to go outside and Cannon thinks he's too big to snuggle apparently. He's got places to go and things to do. Though today is not officially a "snow day" I've declared it my snow day. A day to spend with my baby who is quickly approaching non-baby status here in a few weeks. These days are few and far between that I get to spend all day with my little boy listening to his squeals and squeaks, singing, babbling, and laughing. I simply wish every day was a snow day.

OPK

This is a little acronym I use at work when I'm a little on the frustrated side. Other People's Kids. Other People's Kids are not my own. There are a handful that I wouldn't mind taking home with me, but for the most part I just want their parents to come get them. Now, I've only been a parent for going on 11 months, but I've been dealing with OPK from a "professional" stand point for a little more than 6 years now. I've recently taken on the task of first grade OPKs. They are super cute and sweet and they love you and want to hug you. A little one was all over me the other day and then started rubbing my belly and proceeded to ask me if I had a "baby in my belly." No....I already had my baby, but thanks for asking! Really shot down my self esteem after squeezing into and buttoning my pre-pregnancy pants earlier that day. But hey, Kids say the darndest things...So, I'm reading with this "small group" of six year olds and after we've learned some new words and written the words and spelled the words and read the words some more, I ask them if they know what it means to study. ??? some blank looks. I'm like you know when you go home and practice what you've learned that day and you read books, etc. After some deep thought one kid responds. "I ride my bike." "Oh yeah, and I have a skateboard." Great news!! We had read a book titled "Tigers, Tigers" and every time this one little boy saw it he said, "Lions, Lions!" What letter does it start with I'd ask. T! he'd proudly say. What sound does T make? t-t-T! What's the word? Lions! God bless him.

The Full Time Mom

I've heard it alot. What do you do for a living? I stay at home with my kids. I'm a full-time mom! I hate that term. It suggests that the working mother is not a full-time mom, but merely a part-time mom? That's absurd. I have two jobs. One, where I take care of OPK, all the while wishing i was at home taking care of my own, and two a FULL-TIME mother! I think the two groups: working outside the home moms and stay at home moms probably have some strong opinions of each other.

Who would give up their "career"?(I use the term loosely because I don't consider myself to have a career. I have a job. I don't care to be a big dog or climb to the top of the ladder.) And what's a career worth in the end when you've missed so many precious moments with your babies? Technically, I only work about 36 weeks out of the year. It's what gets me through the work week...looking forward to the next break/holiday.

Not everyone has the chance to opt out of their "career." Some of us don't have that luxury. I'm still working on a way that I can work from home. Maybe if I work on my blogging skills I could make money that way!

I think i have it made alot better than alot of moms out there who have to leave their babies everyday and go to work at God-awful hours. I leave my house at 6:30 and am home at 3:30. That's nine hours away from my baby! Most moms probably don't get home until 5 or 6! That means they hardly see their children!

I've looked into some MOM groups online, looking for other working moms. Well, the MOM groups of working mothers are few and far between. MOM groups meet at like 9:30 AM. Well, I'm at work at that time. I've looked for baby/Mommy exercise groups. Guess what? They get together around 9, too!

With so many working mothers nowadays, wouldn't it make sense to have some groups available to that population? Maybe I'll start one! You know what else would make sense? On campus daycare! Then I could sneak in on my lunch break and hold and snuggle my baby! And give up breast pumping standing up in the bathroom:( I feel the need to start a movement! Mothers unite!

I am thankful for my blessings. I am thankful that Cannon has his daddy at home with him. And I am thankful for the afternoons and weekends that I cherish with my baby. I am however waiting patiently for the tables to turn in my favor:) I am just a tad bit jealous of all the SAHMs and SAHDs out there. It's a hard job, I know. But I'd trade places anyday of the week. Especially days like to day when the OPKs are working my nerves!

Seems like only yesterday....

Cannon is almost nine months old. Good grief. Stop growing so fast little boy! Though it's been 3/4 of a year already...we've seen winter, spring, and summer....it seems like only yesterday that my baby boy was born. And I still get teary thinking about it. He amazes me everyday. I often say to Chris, "Can you believe he's ours?" "Can you believe he was inside of me this time last year?" The miracle of birth baffles me. So, when people use the term "miracle baby" I want to pipe up and proclaim that ALL babies are miracle babies. Yes, some of them have had rougher starts than others, but the "miracle of life" is called that for good reason.

A year is really such a short amount of time. I can recall very easily what was going on around this time last year. A flood for one! Other good friends giving birth. It bothers me when people say things like, "Oh, he's getting so big. He won't be a baby much longer." So people go to the extreme to tell me he's not a baby anymore right now! If he's not a baby, then what is he? He can't even walk or talk. I guess the actual birth of my baby is old news to most people, but it's not old news to me! I haven't even recovered 100%! My scar is still pink and sometimes tender to the touch not to mention the ten extra pounds I'm still carrying around (most of which is probably the weight of milk). People want to hear about things exciting and new. It still feels new to me. I haven't even finished thank you notes or sent out birth announcements yet! That's bad I know! Sorry Emily Post! But like I said it feels so recent to me.

And why don't people get as excited about the second baby as the first. Why do people react with "Wow, pregnant again so soon?" When the whole time the first baby was just a baby they were asking, "So, when's the next one coming?" I'm convinced people just want something to talk about. That's why the baby business and the wedding business will never go out of business. P.S. I'm not pregnant!

So, this blog may have turned into a blahg..... But Fall is getting close and I have the whole week off!!!! to spend with my BABY boy!

For the SOBs at Home Depot....

I was that mom today. So, I got Cannon one of those umbrella strollers thinking he's love it since he would be able to see where he was going and everything. And he did love for about five minutes in Home Depot today. I had to get some paint. At Home Depot. By myself. With a baby. Going out alone with a baby is always unpredictable. It can be blissful or painful. Cannon is in that stage where he semi-shrieks if you take anything away from him that he wants. Sorry, son, for taking away the paint samples! And the car keys. Lately nine times out of ten I've ended up carrying him around in stores as opposed to enjoying a nice stroll. So baby in one hand, stroller in the other. I'm looking at paint samples one-handed for like thirty minutes. NO ONE apparently wants to help a lady with a cranky baby. I finally make some choices and replace the soggy, slobbery paint samples with fresh dry ones. I wait patiently at the paint counter on the guy who seems to be pretending to be busy. "I'll be with you in just a minute ma'am." Oh, thank you for finally acknowledging me. I had some questions about which coating I should get. "Just walk right over here to the display, ma'am. What are your questions?" Either this guy had a lazy eye or he just explained the differences between the paints to my bosom. Whatever. It will be about fifteen minutes to mix the paints. I stroll around the appliance section. A few people stop to tell me how cute Cannon is. Obviously. I pace back by the paint counter a couple times. Your paints ready, ma'am. That's a lot of paint. You might better get a buggy. Gee, thanks. No problem pushing a stroller and a buggy at the same time. Why don't you get it for me, Mr. Paint Man? That would be a nice gesture. I mosey on over to find a buggy . I'm pushing the stroller and attempting to pull the buggy by the handle behind me. A nice Home Depot man offers me the wonderful advice that if I turn the buggy around I can pull it easier. Thank you, empty handed, Home Depot Man for that sound advice. So, I turn it around and he's right. It pulls easier. I load the paint (all seven cans) into the buggy. A couple of EMPTY-HANDED, wandering Home Depot workers smile at me as I'm pulling my buggy of paint and pushing my baby in his stroller to the cash register. Surely someone is going to offer to help me to my car like they do at Publix. NADA. However, one Home Depot worker does comment as I'm pulling my buggy of paint and pushing my finally sleeping baby to the parking lot that "Man, you gotta lotta work to do." Thank you for noticing.

BBQ BABY

So, Chris and his dad are working hard at the new house: ripping up carpet, moving the water heater, etc. Last night I go to get them some BBQ from a local BBQ restaurant. I take Cannon with me because he is in need of a nap and I know he'll fall asleep in the car plus I just want to spend time with my baby and let Chris and his dad get back to work. Of course he falls asleep in the car so I park close to the "to-go" entrance of the restaurant and take him inside in his carrier still asleep. No one is at the counter so I look over the menu. In bursts a very loud man through the door and shouts "Anybody home?" Luckily Cannon is sleeping hard and once the man realizes there's a sleeping baby in these tight quarters he apologizes, but still doesn't really get any quieter. That's OK I'm very used to people not respecting the needs of babies. So, I'm there first right? He doesn't acknowledge that or ask if I've ordered. Nor does the cashier that finally comes around. I say nothing. I'm not about that. I order next and when my food arrives I have to ask for every little thing. I have three BBQ plates and a gallon of sweet tea. I ask for some ketchup. I ask for some BBQ sauce. I ask for three cups. I ask for another plastic bag. I mean I have to carry all this out to my car and a baby! I feel bad asking for anything else. I fill the cups with ice, get my own napkins and am trying to stuff all this in the extra bag. Finally a nice young teenager asks if he can help me to my car! An older man that had come in later pipes up, "I was wondering how she was gonna carry all that. I was just waiting to see what she did." Well, let me tell you I could have done it! I can use the bathroom holding a baby and breastfeed standing up in a stall, mister! I kindly accepted the boy's help and thanked him alot. But why did it take so long for someone to offer to help? I guess it just surprised me because this is the type of place that is supposed to portray small town charm. I'm plenty independent, but am also still very grateful for people who take time to open doors for strangers or help old ladies with their groceries. Now, I'm not that old, but I did have quite the load! So thank you to the nice young man at BBQ Street who despite is young age is still a little old fashioned.

From the Mouths of Babes

It's hard to believe that we were all once innocent creatures. Did our parents really love us as much as we love our children? It's hard to fathom. I love my little boy more and more each day and I'm certain that love will continue to grow. If this is true of all parents, could it be that my parents in fact love me more than I love my own child? I don't think so! I'm in awe of the love and sweetness that is portrayed in Cannon's eyes. His smile. I can tell he loves me so much. The way his face lights up and his arms start flapping when I talk to him. What if I still flapped my arms when I saw my mom? I'm sure it would fill her heart with joy still. My mom's just like that. But year by year innocence is lost. He doesn't know that though. I know that ten years from now instead of laughing with his eyes he'll probably be rolling his eyes at me. And I know I'll love him all the same. I believe there's nothing like a mother's love for her child. I believe that all mothers love their children, though I witness every day the neglect and heartache of hundreds of children. I've come to the conclusion that maybe not all mothers know how to show their love to their children. Maybe they become consumed by the evils of the world and give in to selfish ways. Maybe they believe that their children don't need them anymore. Children will always need their mothers. It doesn't matter how young or old.

I hear people say all the time to enjoy this stage while it lasts. They grow too fast. They won't be babies for long. It's very true. I can't believe eight months has passed and I still haven't written all my thank you notes! But I still don't necessarily like to hear it. He's getting so big...time for another one. Like the fact that he's not a little baby anymore needs to be replaced with a newborn. He's still just a baby! He is growing so fast and these precious moments are fleeting, but I'm trying to take it all in. I've even had people say things like oh it's cute now, but just wait til they start talking back. Really? Why are people so quick to point out the negative? Am I really going to look at Cannon as a teenager and forget how sweet he is as a baby? Maybe...but I sure hope not! I believe children are a product of their environments. I hope and pray that Cannon's environment helps nurture him in every way possible and that he will always know just how much his mommy loves him forever and ever and ever with all my heart:)