My new goal

So it's been a while since I have blogged...bad, bad, I know. But life is busy for me. Being a wife, a mother to an active (and quick!) 8 month old boy on the verge of walking and curious as all get out, and being a teacher leaves me little time for this. And by this I mean blogging. But here is my new goal, my thought that has consumed me and is going to become my reality....I'm going to stay home with my son.

No, not right now. Not this next school year (I've got a darn student loan from the state that I pay back by teaching. So while I'm working, I'm paying it back. If I stop, I pay it back monetarily. So you can see my reasoning behind not stopping right away). But very soon. Possibly a year. This is what a woman is made to do. From the very beginning, God has planned it to be so. For a woman to stay at home and care for her husband, her children, and the home. To be the center, the heart of the home for her family. To create a loving, nurturing environment where her family will thrive and grow. Together with her husband, the children learn morals, values, and loving life lessons that will help them to become upstanding, kind, compassionate, considerate adults.

I think it's fair to say I love listening to Dr. Laura. No, she did not put this idea in my head, but her unwavering support and advocation for stay at home moms has certainly been an encouragement to me. I want to be a better wife for my husband, a better mama for my son, and I want to fulfill those roles in the way God would have me to. I do enjoy my job and the impact I can make in the lives of those children I teach, but I want to make an impact in the life of my own child even more. Please note, that this is my opinion...my feelings. I'm not pushing them on anyone, but simply stating my heart, my mind. I don't want to miss a minute of Aidan's life. I don't want to miss the wonder in his eyes when he sees or hears or does something new. I don't want to miss him make a mess of his oatmeal at breakfast. I don't want to miss him rubbing his sleepy eyes and then falling asleep in my arms. I don't want to miss his precious giggle when I blow raspberries on his tummy or make a funny face. I don't want to miss him make cautious, yet adventerous leaps from one piece of furniture to another in attempts to walk. I don't want to miss a thing.

So there. And that's my new goal. It's spring break for me right now, so I'm thoroughly enjoying my time at home with him each day. What a blessing it is! It is my prayer that God will help us and strengthen us to make the decisions and right choices for us to be able to have me stay home and take care of my family. It's a beautiful thing that a woman can do. To stay at home, take care of the home, and lovingly care for her husband, support him as the breadwinner for the family, and to raise her children. I want that beauty every day! And that's my new goal.

It's Days Like These....

That make me long for spring and warm weather! Seriously GORGEOUS day in Central Virginia! A comfortable 75 or so degrees...and a Saturday! Couldn't get any better!! I think it's so odd how just six days ago we had 10 inches of snow, and now...spring! I guess that's the March weather for you there! It was just great to be able to open the windows and the doors to our screened-in porch and just enjoy the breeze and sunshine!

Chris and I took Aidan for a walk and then later on this afternoon my sister-in-law and her daughter (Aidan's cousin Kaitlyn) came over, and my in-laws did too, so we (along with my mom-in-law) took the babies for a stroll around the neighborhood to get out and soak up the sunshine. It was just a nice way to spend the day! Aidan slept nearly the whole stroll, though. Which I was glad he was getting a good relaxing nap and I could visit with my mom- and sis-in-law.

We ended the nice day with a cookout with our best friends (just an amazing Christian couple that we LOVE dearly-they're just like family; they are really!) and a relaxing dinner on the screened-in porch (I wanted that added to our house when we built it specifically for days like these!) just talking and laughing and having a great time of fellowship. Spring is just my favorite season of all...I love everything about it! It's the blossoms, the warm weather, the spring showers, the new growth and birth of nature, the amazing colors of tree buds and flowers, and the sweet scent of grass, blooming flowers, fresh rain, and sunshine. It makes the whole world cheery and optimistic...spring is such a time of promise!

I am so thankful for days like these...that I can play with Aidan, laugh with him and watch him explore with a schedule or the nagging need to work to be done hanging over my head (I can simply ignore it!), spend time with my husband, enjoy strolls with my family and our precious babies, and enjoy good food with good friends, making more memories. Days like these may not be so rare, but memories like these are. That's why the must be made, cherished, and preserved.

Christopher Aidan, at 6 months

So I wanted to write a little about the biggest pride and joy in my life-my son, Christopher Aidan. We call him Aidan. He is the most precious gift I have EVER received, and I cannot, cannot imagine my life without him. Life before him is even a vague fog at times, because he totally consumes my thoughts, attention, and affections. Well, him, and Chris, too! So on to a little bit about my little man!

Aidan is 6 months old, and will be 7 months old on 3-9-09 (which I just realized is next Monday!-wow!). He is able to sit up on his own, and is crawling around like you wouldn't believe! It's so neat to watch him develop his motor skills and put them all together to do something so simple but yet profound for him (and for us watching him, too!). I like watching him crawl, and then push himself up to a sitting position, look around him to see what's going on, and then move on to something else that catches his eye. He goes all over the kitchen and family room, and has ventured out into the hallway some, but usually those rooms fascinate him. He's even been opening drawers in the kitchen and pulling stuff off the fridge that's at his level. I don't think Aidan's just content with crawling; he's also now trying to stand up. I love watching his reasoning on how to stand. He usually has his hands out in front of him, and then pushes his bottom up in the air and spreads his feet apart and pushes up on his hands, and then the poor boy runs out of steam and collapses back on the floor, where he lets out some yells and babbling that sounds like he's frustrated and complaining that he can't stand and walk yet. Every time we hold him, he loves to stand in our laps and walk up us. He can also pull himself up to stand, and does this all the time when he's in his crib. Note to self: take mobile down tomorrow; Aidan tries to eat the animals on it!

Aidan went to the doctor on 2-17-09, and he weighs 18 lbs, 11 oz, and is 27 inches long. He's getting so big so fast, and it doesn't seem like it's been nearly 7 months since he arrived into this world and we first laid our eyes on this blessing from God. He is eating solid foods three times a day now (cereal with fruit in the morning, veggies and fruit at lunch, then veggies/meat and sometimes fruit at supper), and then gets a bottle in between meals, and a good 7 oz. bottle before bed at night, which he usually gulps down. He seems to love everything he eats, although he seems to down the fruits much faster than the veggies. I want him to be a good, healthy eater and to prefer fruits and veggies above other foods when he gets a bit older...so far he's on the right track!

Aidan does great with sleeping at night. He sleeps all night, which is a great thing for us, and usually wakes around the same time each morning. I'm glad he's on a good routine with sleeping and eating...it makes life so much easier for someone like me, who is sometimes a little too dependent on routines! He is a great baby...he really doesn't cry or fuss much unless he's hungry or sleepy. He is a happy baby, and I hear that all the time from others who meet him and spend even just a few minutes around him. It's true...he is a very happy baby and we have been very blessed that he is so good and happy! He goes to daycare while I'm at work, and he seems to do well with sleeping and eating there, although there are some times when he doesn't sleep as long as I would like or eat as much as I would like. Those are the times the most when I wish I could stay at home with him and be there, taking care of him myself. I feel good with the care he receives at daycare, I just know that no one can take care of him like his mama, and I hate so badly that I have to work right now. It's my goal in a year or so, once this student loan is paid back, to be able to stay at home with him, and hopefully another little Donovant, if it's God's will! I just want to stay at home with my child so badly! I do enjoy my job and teaching those little ones with special needs, but I just want to be at home teaching my own baby more than anything! It's a prayer and a hope for the future! God has a plan, of this I am sure!

I love seeing Aidan's personality blossom as he gets older. He is such an observant baby, and watches things/people around him all the time. He studies faces that he sees, and will usually give a big, dimpled smile to familiar friends and even new friends . He is obsessed with moving, and now standing and crawling. He is always happy to see me and Chris, and will greet us with the biggest smiles and gurgles of laughter. I love hearing his laugh more than any sound in the world! He smiles more than he laughs, so when I get a giggle or a big laugh out of him, I feel as though my day has been made! It's always something different that gets him laughing, so trying to find what will make him laugh that day is a personal daily goal for me! I think Aidan's a thinker just like his Daddy...he always seems to have something on his mind and is trying to figure out how to implement his plan and get where he wants to go. This doesn't stop me from being silly, loud, and making sounds to him...even if he doesn't laugh, he always smiles and seems to enjoy my goofiness! Glad someone does!

He enjoys playing in his exersaucer, but not so much now since he is more mobile and is fascinated with moving. He enjoys toys that make noise, like his Baby See 'N Say, and his rainforest friends piano. He likes to bang his toys on the floor, table, high chair, anywhere he can to see what noise it will make. It seems to fascinate him. He also enjoys putting everything he can into his mouth and chewing. He has his two front bottom teeth in, so that must explain the urge to chew. At about 3 months old, Aidan began losing interest in his pacifier. It was a loss to us, since we relied on it to keep him, well, pacified, but in a way I guess it was good since he wasn't addicted to it and we weren't facing a struggle to wean him from it in the future! He just chews on it now, which I guess still serves a purpose of keeping him pacified.

Aidan also loves the water and enjoys bath time. He loves to splash the water with his hands and gets it everywhere, including on me. It's just cute to watch him explore it. Songs and music seem to get Aidan's attention...which I am so thankful for! I am a HUGE music lover, and glad I can share this love with my son (hopefully it will continue to grow and he will love it like I do!). He loves to hear me sing to him, especially while we are reading books that could be songs too (like Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See?, and nursery rhymes). I will always remember when Aidan was about 2 months old and I was singing "Hey Jude" to him and he began cooing along with me. Touched my heart!! I kept trying to sign while crying so he would continue to sing with me. It was a memory treasured in my heart and such a bonding experience with my boy! He loves books too, and looks at the pictures, tries turning the pages, and then in the mouth they go! He is babbling a bunch, and is saying "Mama, ma, ma, mmm, mama!" Yes, he's saying "Mama"...sometimes I think he puts the association together of that word and me (he looks at me when he says it...maybe wishful thinking on my part), but I don't think he has fully made the association. I think it's more of a "I say this string of sounds together, and Mama comes to get me" thing. Who knows though!

When Aidan was born, his hair was strawberry blond. I wondered what it would look like at 6 months, and now I know. It's brown, and getting coarse and wavy like Chris's. His eyes are one of my favorite features of his-they are a mix of blue, brown, and green. We usually get comments and remarks like "Look at his eyes!", "Such beautiful eyes!". I agree. His bright smile and dimples are another thing I love. Melts my heart every time he smiles!

I can't wait until the weather gets warmer and we can go out and do more outdoor things with Aidan. I think he will have a ball exploring the outdoors and all the new sights, sounds, and smells it brings. We are planning on buying a wagon for him to ride in, and I can't wait to put up this horse swing my parents got for him and watch him have fun swinging. I know he will grow and change so much in the near future...even tomorrow he will change and grow and learn something new. So at this moment, my mother's heart pours out all my love, gratitude, and fascination for this 6-month old, drooly, smiling, constantly moving, baby boy. Even a month or two from now, this blog will tell of all the new things Aidan is doing, but for now, and even in the future, I can look back and remember ALL about my son at this stage of life. This precious, marvelous, amusing, learning stage. And as much as he is learning, I am learning so much from him. Learning much about patience, appreciating laughter and silly moments, quiet moments, being one step ahead, and making right choices and decisions that I know would benefit my son and would be something I want him to learn and appreciate about me. I love being a mama more than I ever imagined I would, and I longed SO much for this amazing joy, to be a mama to the sweetest baby boy. I love motherhood, and I love watching my husband bond with our son and play with him, and talk to him and tell him how much he loves him and how special he is.

Yes, long blog entry I know, but it's been on my heart to write about my heart, my Aidan. Each day is a new adventure, a new joy, and I love him more than my life. More than I've ever known. It's a different love than that I have for Chris, a love that has consumed me completely. I am a truly blessed-beyond-belief woman. To have a healthy, happy son and a loving, faithful husband...wow. I'm speechless. To God be the glory, great things He hath done!!

On My Mind, At This Moment:
"...Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy"
from "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" by John Lennon

For The Love of a Snow Day!

Just when we had given up on winter, resigned ourselves to the thought of "Well, I guess this is just one of those winters without snow", and were looking forward to warmer temperatures, robins singing, flowers blooming....BAM! Winter hits us with a good 10 inches of snow...as if to say, "Ha! Thought I'd forgotten about Central Virginia? Not quite!"

As a teacher, I pretty much live for spring break, summer vacation, and snow days. So I was thrilled to be out today and to spend a beautiful snowy day at home with the guys. Chris and I, ok, it was mostly me, wanted to take Aidan out in the snow for his first real glimpse and experience of it. Just for the record, I grew up in the Deep South where snow was a rare and most welcome treat and a usual guarantee that school would be closed for 2 or more days, and Chris is from Virginia where he got snow every winter and as a result, can't stand the stuff. So I got Aidan all bundled up, and took him out, armed with the video camera and the digital camera, in high hopes that we would get some great photo ops of Aidan smiling, touching the snow, putting it in his mouth, all those grand ideas as a parent you expect in a perfect world. Well, needless to say, at 6 months Aidan hated the snow, and when I put some in his hand for him to feel, he immediately began crying and seemed just miserable. We did get a few pictures (see above) with Aidan not crying, so it didn't turn out to be a big failure. I know as he gets older, he'll enjoy the snow and all the fun snow-day activities, and I'm looking forward to sharing those moments with him.

But for now, I must do some laundry while Aidan is napping, and just for a moment I can reflect on the memories of my snow-day fun as a kid....pizza lunch to celebrate being out of school and the snow, sledding down the hills in our neighborhood (and running over my fingers with the sled on one occasion), snowmen, snowball fights, and the beauty of the snow sky during the day (a beautiful swirl of gray and white) and at night (a blend of light and dark purples). Oh, the joys!

On My Mind, At This Moment:
"It's a marshmallow world in the winter
When the snow comes to cover the ground
It's the time for play, it's a whipped cream day
I wait for it the whole year round.

Those are marshmallow clouds being friendly
In the arms of the evergreen trees
And the sun is red like a pumpkin head
It's shining so your nose wont freeze.

The world is your snowball, see how it grows
Thats how it goes whenever it snows
The world is your snowball just for a song
Get out and roll it along"
-From "Marshmallow World" by Darlene Love

First Time For Everything!!

And here it is...the first blog I've done! Wow! So where to begin...let's begin with intentions.

Well, it's my hope that this blog will serve as a place that I can keep up with the ever-changing lives of my family, which includes me, my husband of almost five years-Chris, and our son, Aidan, who is currently six months old, and as a place where I can write about my ideas and opinions on life, being a Christian, politics, music, and other odds and ends that make up me. So, here's a toast to my first blog entry, and to those who read it...may we all prosper, learn, live, and grow happily and healthily!

At This Moment, In My Mind:
"Lord make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
And where there is sadness, joy."
-From "Prayer of St. Francis" by Sarah McLachlan