Thursday, May 10, 2012

Little Missy

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This sassy little lady is quite the independent girl. She won't let me feed her - she insists on doing it herself (really... she grabs the spoon out of my hand and puts it in her own mouth and holds her own bottle most of the time). She's also decided that she doesn't like that mushy baby food garbage. She'd rather eat carrot-apple juice pops, baby crackers, and frozen bananas.

She has recently decided that she MUST sleep on her tummy, with a pillow. We put her to bed without one and when we check on her she's grabbed a stuffed animal, blanket, rattle, or any other object within her grasp to use instead.

When she is frustrated she likes to scrunch her nose and grunt and when she is happy she fills her cheeks up as big as they go with air and blow it out slowly through her puckered little lips (think of someone pretending to blow up a balloon).

I am convinced that no baby has ever been as wiggly as this one. She is the epitome of a busy body and rarely sits still. She's also a big talker (who knows where that comes from) and says mmma mmma and dddaa dddaa at such opportune times you'd think she knew exactly what she was saying.

Little girly LOVES playing with her dad. He just has to hint that he's going to come tickle her and she giggles and hides her face in playful anticipation of his attack. Come evening time though she is all mama's girl - reaching out for me anytime someone else tries to hold her for longer than a couple of minutes.

We've been taking her around Atticus (our 90lb. hound dog) more lately and you'd think that such a little person would be somewhat timid of an animal 3x her size - but not Abby...she just grabs his ears and tries to nuzzle his face - or pokes him in the eye if she gets irritated by him.

She already likes playing in my makeup when I get ready in the mornings and loves to sit up on her own. She gets the proudest look ever on her face when we let her "stand", is determined to learn to crawl (she has an impressive scoot) and has the gummiest smile I have ever seen.

She's totally gonna give me a run for my money and I love her for it.

When you're a mom.

"You'll understand when you're a mom"


I heard this countless times from my mom when I was growing up. Mostly when we were in some sort of disagreement about cleaning my room or how late I could stay out on the weekends.

"No" I often thought "I don't think I will ever understand."


Fast forward years later to today. I am a mom now and I do see things differently.


I still don't understand decisions that were made, and will probably do certain things differently, but what I do understand is what that statement truly means.


It doesn't mean "When you're a parent you'll understand why making your teenager clean their room is important"


or


"When you're a parent you'll understand why your curfew was earlier than all of your friends"


What it really means is this:


When you're a mom you will understand a depth of love like no other.


When you're a mom you will understand what it feels like to have another person's life in your hands.

When you're a mom you will understand the magnitude of being entrusted with the care and education of a precious soul.


When you're a mom you will understand what it feels like to be responsible for another little person's future.

When you're a mom you will understand the intense, immovable desire to teach your children to be strong, compassionate, smart, independent, spiritual adults.


When you're a mom you will understand the longing to do all you can to make your children happy.


When you're a mom you will understand the difficulty of letting your children make mistakes in order to let them learn and grow.


When you're a mom you will understand the willingness to neglect your own needs on your childrens behalf.


When you're a mom you will understand that every decision you make in your life will have an impact on those tender spirits who have been put in your care.


When you're a mom you will do anything and everything that you feel will better your children in some way - even if they think you're the meanest mom ever for doing it.


When you're a mom you will understand how hard it is to say "no" because you mostly want with all your heart to say "yes" to anything that will make them happy, but you know that you can't.


When you're a mom you will understand that no.matter.what. you will fail. You will fail in some way to teach them some vital lesson of life.


When you're a mom you will understand that you will make mistakes every day.


but most of all when you're a mom you will understand that the tears, the sleepless nights, the fear of failing, the pain and sadness that you face

is


SO


worth


it.




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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

5

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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

4.

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