Oh my...

My first born is at his first school dance.  I can't believe it.  He actually asked to go.  He didn't do a date or anything which is fine with me seeing as he's only in 7th grade.  I forced him to take pictures with mom first.  He wasn't thrilled, but that was what it cost him to go.  :)  I'm shocked he actually wanted to go.  Brian said there were a couple of his classmates getting dropped off right before and after him without dates as well, so that's good.  They can just hang out for a bit.

This is the first time he's gone somewhere completely away from both of us and not with another family member either.  So weird to think he's that old already.  Hope he has a great time tonight!

The good and the bad of the day....

Bad news first because it's fairly short.  We got new puppies almost 2 weeks ago.  One was a little awkward when walking and we kind of wondered if there wasn't something neurologically wrong.  He seemed really weak.  Anyways, yesterday the boys found him dead in his house.  The other puppy is much bigger and was always fine.  But, suddenly late last night he started vomiting and diarrhea and could barely walk.  Looked like the symptoms of parvo.  By 4 am he was gone too.  They must have come to us with it already.  It's so sad as the boys take that kind of loss pretty hard.  They were the cutest little beagle pups too.

The good news, or should I say memory, for today is that today is 4 years since we found out about Miss Chelsi.  We didn't see her picture for another day, but just the little we knew about her we knew she was ours and we wanted her.  I cannot believe that has been 4 years.  She's a perfect little girl and we had an amazing Christmas that year.  It was the first time ever that we could say we were having a baby at Christmas and mom put her picture on the fridge for Christmas Day for everyone to see.  So she was introduced to the entire family on Christmas Day 4 years ago too.  What a great year that was and what a great girl she is!  Love you Chels.

Mom

Chelsi Faces

So where are you on Christmas?

Other than one thing I have to wait on, I'm done, done, done!  As soon as Walmart ships and receives the rest of what grandpa bought, I can wrap that and be done with that too.  Tonight I had to stop there to get our groceries and toiletries and pick up our site-to-store order...one of them.  I didn't realize how big the thing was!  Luckily, I folded down one of the van seats and shoved it in.  Then, poor, Brian had to put it in our closet until I get time to put it together before Christmas.  And after I put it together I still have to hide it 'til then.  This is grandpa's gift to my two littles.  I ordered one of those Radio Flyer wagons with the foldable handle and seatbelts and cup holder....like their own little car.  I'm hoping it will come in handy on trips to the zoo and such instead of carrying them.  They're both getting to heavy, but Chelsi's short little legs just don't go very far very fast and Jaemin is still pretty wobbly on the walking.

This ought to be fun to put together, huh?

Lisa

Word of the Day: Erupt

I'm going to start a new category titled "Word of the Day".  From now on when the kids use words a little incorrectly, I'm going to post it under this category and explain how they used it.  'Cause it's always funny!

Tonight's word is erupt.  As in "Kaelin you're erupting me".  This was when Chelsi was reading her book tonight and apparently,  Kaelin was whispering in her ear as she read.  This was "interrupting" Chelsi's reading.

Of course, this from the girl who, earlier tonight, asked daddy if "buttmunch" was a bad word.  Dad politely explained that it's not BAD, but it's something nice girls should say.   To which she promptly replied "mommy says it".  I admit it....I do.  There's worse, right?

Lisa

What a nice day for mommy and son

Our attorney called me at work and gave us a court date to finalize J.  So, right before Christmas we should have him a legal member of our family.  While, some would argue that he was already a member of our family when we met, it's true.  But, there is an indescribable feeling you get when someone who is appointed to uphold the law prounounces you legally your child's family with all the rights and privileges that come along with it.  Just hearing them say that we must agree " to love him as our own", etc., etc. is a very emotional moment.  I have never gotten teary when my 3 youngest arrived.  But, put me in that court room I get teary eyed every time the judge has set the gavel down with this decision.  I love finalization day and it IS important to me.

Tonight, J wouldn't let me out of his sight for some reason.  Maybe he knew and sensed how happy mommy was feeling because of that call?  I put him on my back, in the Ergo, so I could do dishes and he was as content as can be.  He usually wants Cole to come get him and take him downstairs to play, but this time he was content with mommy.

Later we were sitting around and I asked him if he wanted his socks on and he very clearly said "uh uh" and shook his whole body no.  I asked him another question that I knew he would say yes to and he very purposefully nodded yes.  Every time I asked him if he wanted socks on he would shake his whole body.  So much so, that I had to video it because it was so cute and definitely something I always want to remember.

How could I possibly have been blessed so much to have this child in my life and having the amazing and awesome privilege of being his mother.

Lisa

SAHM vs. Working Mom

Age old discussion, that on some boards become more than a discussion.  I shouldn't really say age old since the dawn of working moms isn't really that old in the scheme of things.  Though I think even back when a working mother was not common it existed out of necessity.  Wars, single parenting etc. made it a must.  Then you had a women's movement when feminists pushed it further to make it more of a right for women to choose to work and not necessarily do it out of necessity for the family.

Granted there are lots of women in the world who choose career and work because they need to and want to.  I don't mean need as in they will be on welfare without, I mean need for their soul and identity.  Yes, I believe this is a feeling women have, but I am not one of those.  I am a work out of necessity mom/woman.  When I am at work, I work hard and put out all effort to earn my pay, but when I'm home, I'm home and work doesn't need to exist.  I don't have the greatest paying job either, but it's enough for the bills and allows me to be with my family when I need to without feeling major guilt, so fairly low stress, when you consider the importance of family.

Would I be SAHM if I could....sure.  I would LOVE to work part-time to have both worlds, but that isn't possible.  We would have to have no house payment or anything in order to afford it and that's just not possible.  Our house payment isn't even $1,000 so we're not one of those maxed out families either...so please don't think we're just living above our means like a lot of America.

We all make these decisions with what we have to work with in life, not necessarily what we want.  However, we go on and make the best of what we have.  The thing that bugs the crap out of me is when you get on any sort of mommy board you will find mostly SAHMs....which is fine in and of itself.  BUT, if I hear (read) one more time about how they chose to stay home no matter the sacrifice because "raising" their own child is best or similar statements I'm going to blow and speak my mind.  I get tired of some thinking that every working mom chooses it and actually has that choice.  When, in reality, I personally know they are the wife of a business owner, doctor, lawyer, etc. and I know they're just fine.

First of all, "I" am raising my children working or not.  We decide what to do with them and how to raise them and no one else does.  Yes they go to daycare, but it's not that long in the day, any longer than a school day, and we make the decisions that impact them.  And when the end of the day arrives WE spend every second with our children.  We don't hire babysitters and go out or ship them off to grandmas (though they'd probably like that if we did).  We want every second with them that we can get since we don't have the option to stay at home.  We make the best of our situation.

So, be thankful if you're able to stay at home.  Because some of us already have as little as you can, we don't have a cleaning lady to cut and a $40 cable bill isn't going to allow me to stay home either.  No loans, other than house, so what's left?  And please quit cutting at working moms!  Please quit making hurtful comments that boost your own ego making you feel like the best mom in the world.  We're all doing the best we can!

If you are a SAHM that doesn't make these comments and does feel thankful, and I know plenty exist, please ignore.  This is aimed at specific comments I've read all too often over the past years on boards I'm a part of.

Lisa