Being a PREGNANT Mommy means...

-staying up half the night tossing and turning

-teaching your son about cereal and peanut butter and jam sandwiches

-being incredibly thankful to have husband have a day off to help clean

-using all your energy on creating the best fun filled "last" one-on-one days with your two year old

-treating your son to a meal out because you just can't cook

-wishing for the second trimester to come and end the non-stop NAUSEA!

-thinking God should let husbands be pregnant for one week, just to know...

-feeling your belly pop and feeling it all the time thinking about the treasure in there

-praying, praying, and praying for a healthy baby

-choosing a doctor that is close to home so prenatal appointments won't be so costly for your son

-hoping your son will adjust

-feeling overwhelmed

-reading weekly baby updates as a family

-getting belly kisses and rubs from the new brother

-running to toilets in other rooms so your son never sees you vomit

-feeling like your back is sore and then remembering back labor and knowing this is cake

-thinking the baby has to have miracle survival skills from all the toddler beat romping your stomach takes

-hearing your mothers voice in your head, "you shouldn't be lifting that!"

-squeezing your nose to hand feed your geriatric dog

-saying, "YES!" to every spray park, pirate ship pool, playground, baseball, soccer, kite running, thing (even though you think you might melt away into queasy bits) because you just have to for your son

-deciding reading rainbow is the best show ever made

-worrying about how you'll ever be away from your son for labor and postpartum

-thinking about precious baby items all night-you know since your up anyway

-feeling too tired to get out of bed to go to the bathroom but knowing your stomach will explode if you don't

-knowing the dry heaving is worse than the vomiting

-trying not to worry or fear by clinging to bible verses, tears, words of comfort, and prayers for hope

-not being sure about anything but trusting God will make it all work out somehow

Being a Mommy Means

-making up words to books

-making sure your baby has a fantastic view of his first parade

-changing your child's clothes after he gets muddy and wet from random puddle jumping (say even on the way out the door) but forgetting to change yours or wipe the mud off your cheek

-having constant dish pan hands

-loving the constant enthusiasm

-hearing, "uooogh Shaaaadden!" repeated back to you

-choosing grocery stores based upon truck carts and going on mommy mission to make sure your son can ride in one while you're there

-hearing the words, "hep" (help) and "self" (as in, "self do it" aka do it by myself) almost as much as "momma!"

-knowing your normal pre-baby tardiness is now considered flaky no show

-being sure the missing sock will turn up somewhere

-packing bags

-trying to remember what you know you need to remember before you leave the house

-thinking your child's speech is the cutest thing in the world

-finding slugs outside and remaking them inside with playdoh

-being exhausted but saying yes to ball outside because you know how much he needs it

-being overwhelmed with pictures

-letting him crack the eggs every time even though you sometimes wish you could

-loving the way he runs after neighborhood boys

-having a helper to feed all the animals

-talking out loud about a grocery list to hear in reply, "apples, 'nanas, pink yoert, eggs, more apple sauce..."

-sharing the joy of a morning donut run

-singing partial songs with fill in the blanks for him to sing the missing lyrics/reading the same way or having the book read to you!

-deeming every sporting item a new necessity

-not getting your hair done for an entire (gasp!) year because it's ridiculously expensive and takes way more time than you can spare even though you dream about trim ends and dark brown locks

-walking around like hag lady while your son looks cuter than cute for a nothing planned day

-trying to find woodpecker in a forest because your son can hear it

-getting twenty-five kisses on the lips when he's just not ready for nighnigh (who knows how to work it?!?!)

-listening to stories of the day being recounted in son specific details

-teaching the word brave

-having this amazing trust between you and your son that you just know when he is safe and can run a little farther than you

-falling asleep holding hands and bodies

-not knowing how to say no night nursing

-playing lawn mowers and checking out lawn tools

-checking out every leroy mccoy music book wishing the illustrations weren't so creepy

-beginning prayer and letting googoose complete the rest

-wishing lois lenski was still alive writing and producing winners

-listening to your husband play drummer boy on the keyboard with your son's fingers as they sing harmony and turn pages to Ezra j. Keats

being a mom means

-enjoying morning bedhead-that lasts all day

-planning your, "someday, the next concert i'll see..."

-feeling deep singing, "this little light of mine"

-explaining to your husband you have to have the delicious smelling eco overpriced hand soap because your home all day long, washing hands and things all day long, and it makes you feel good with every single pump squeeze

-deciding there is nothing better than My Gym for toddlers in the winter

-loving how excited your child gets about whatever it is you say your doing

-enjoying conversations with other moms

-waking up in the night worrying about water sanitation and hexavalent chromium in local water

-being outraged that our government allows toxic poisonous drugs into baby foods and toys

-not being able to answer the question, "what do you want to do?" because it is so foreign

-trying to figure out what it means if your son says his penie stings

-enjoying the quick solo shower before bed as "me time" even if it is to wash off the puke just spewed all over you

-dressing your son in momentary mesh because it has your husbands team on it

-ripping the knees in all your jeans (unintended) and having kids point out you need new pants

-thinking face wash is a luxury item

-battling every asian and their technology so your son can see dragons at the chinese festival

-seeing your son running in the grass and being thrilled your not a mom on the hill even if it means suburbia

-enjoying the fact that in winter you can cover your momhead with a beanie and it's socially acceptable

-telling your son to stop smearing the glitter and then remembering he's only one year old and feeling guilty

-eyeing the running noses on kids and trying to direct your child in the opposite direction

-having your husband rearrange the furniture to allow for more play room

-breaking fast, pulling over, and running with your son so he can see the deer you just spotted by the road

-trying to make everyday the most fun wonderful day

-cringing at the thought of explaining to your pediatrician why your child is not vaccinated

-not understanding how your hands and fingers have expanded twice their size postpregnancy

-trying to secretly trade the multicolored sprinkles for the red and pink heart sprinkles in the grocery cart, getting busted, and then trying to convince your son for Valentines sprinkles-and then realizing what you are doing and putting back the cute sprinkles. Then, forgetting all about the new sprinkles in the rush of excitement of sprinkling!

-fretting over dairy intake-the opposite kind your pediatrician advises-because you believe God did not intend humans to drink another species milk, no matter how delicious cheese might be

Being a Mommy Means

-marveling at teeny snowflake designs and then holding your mouth open to the sky with your child laughing together when one lands in either of your mouths

-feeling like your every action of every second is of critical importance in shaping who your child is becoming or not becoming and then later wondering if you'll ever do anything to contribute to the world

-enjoying those talks with your husband between baby interjections as inner fuel

-waiting to do the breakfast dishes because your baby wants you to play NOW

-listening to your husband cursing a construct it yourself wooden playset in the middle of the night so that as soon as your baby wakes it will be waiting

-playing kitchen for three hours straight

-praying for snow because your child wants to go sledding

-waking up in with your contacts still on because you fell asleep putting your baby to sleep

-getting frustrated at yourself for getting frustrated

-being thrilled inside when your child picks the book you love to read

-loving the sound of your husband and son playing together

-trying to use a patient voice

-debating which classes to enroll child

-wondering if you'll ever be able to let your child go away to school

-making up voices and songs

-feeling terrible making your baby leave the playground because he is having so much fun sliding down the slide

-carrying your baby while pushing the empty stroller

-having so much fun playing make believe games, reading books, holding each other, kissing cheeks, and marveling at how quickly the day go...everyday

-feeling so blessed to have your husband and your baby

-convincing your husband you have to have a DVD video camera now because of your non video taking remorse

-trying to sneak the radio between a kiddie song in the car and getting busted by your son

-having your freshly washed dishes you put in the dishwasher swiped and being carried away to "the other kitchen"

-loving the wild snowsuit runs

-getting sweatier than your son during music class

-choosing your battles

-hearing, "hi" on repeat from a extreme close up face pressing into yours

-enjoying art projects as much as your child

-wondering who your child is saying no to because surely it can't be you

-being amazed at your child in a room full of kids and thanking God

Being a Mommy Means

• hand sewing reindeer bells in the middle of the night only to hear, "mooommy"
• picking clothes based on nursing potential
• praying, "Lord help me"
• being thankful for every single leg hug
• trying to omit the word "shoot" from your vocabulary (sounds very close to another 4letter word!)
• getting dodo logs dropped on your feet
• wanting to be better
• saying, "It's okay, Mommy clean it" all day long everyday on repeat
• singing until your throat begs for water
• dancing in every room of the house
• feeling guilty serving food from a box
• doing ridiculous things over and over because it makes him laugh
• spending more time preparing and cleaning up crafts, drawing, baking decorations, etc. but, doing it anyway
• feeling thrilled inside when you hear your baby's excitement over every little holiday treat
• falling asleep putting your baby asleep
• thinking about everything you should be getting done when getting your baby ready for bed, then being unable to leave his side once he is asleep because you can't stop staring at those lashes, lips, and perfect complexion, and praying God's blessings upon him

i spy with my little eye...july

purify

"...for it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault....in which you shine like stars in the universe." philippians 2:13-15

Patience, Peace, and Purity...these things I pray