I am a Mom

     I am a stay at home mom, and my little love will be 14 months old tomorrow!  I can not believe how fast she is growing up, and I feel so fortunate to be able to spend every day with her.  In just about 5 months, my little love is going to be a big sister!!  I can't wait to add another sweet baby to our family!  Don't get me wrong, of course there are good days and really hard days.  There are days when toys and books are everywhere and the house is a mess.  There were days in my first trimester where I blockaded my daughter in our living room, because I was so sick.  There are always dishes to be done, but I love my job!  Yes, you read that right, being a mother is my job.  
     It is unreal to me how many people ask me if I miss working.  I work harder now than I ever did at what you may consider a typical job.  I am raising a human!  In the last 6 months, I have been asked to sell, Rodan and Fields, Jamberrys, Mary Kay and Arbonne - twice.  Don't get me wrong, I love the products and the people who sell them, but I already have a job.  When asking me to be a consultant people say things like, "don't you feel like you should be contributing to your family financially?"  Nope, not at all.  Raising a happy, healthy, child who will grow up able to add value to our society is what I am contributing.  
     I didn't just buy my little one a tablet and let the tablet raise her, I am raising my child.  Every day we read together, and we sing songs.  I teach her the names of body parts and animals, and the sounds that animals make.  I'm teaching her that life is fun, through dance parties and blowing bubbles.  She learns that we can grow things to eat, every day when we water the garden together.  She is learning to walk, and say words, and that her hands can feed her tummy. She is learning to be social through play dates, swimming lessons, mommy and me yoga class, and story time at the library.  She's learning about God and faith, when we say our prayers and she folds her hands and says "amen."  Our dog is teaching her to love things that look different than her.  She's learning to enjoy the simple things in life when she stops to smell the flowers, even if she's just smelling a picture in a book.  She is growing and learning so much, I can't even imagine missing one day with her.  She is, seriously, the best gift anyone could have ever given me, and I am so thankful that my husband feels the same way, and is proud that I can be home raising our daughter (soon to be children!).

Last fall at the pumpkin patch!

     When I was in 2nd grade we talked about what we wanted to be when we grew up.  I remember, clear as day, telling my class that I was going to be a mommy when I grew up.  It has been the only thing I've ever wanted to do, but I also know that it's not for everyone.  My sister is a fabulous mom and she is a business professional with suits and a fancy job downtown.  I have never wanted a fancy job downtown.  I have never felt pressure to earn so much, or save so much, or prove that woman can work as hard or hold the same jobs as men.  That's just not me.  Since college, I was a youth minister for a few years, I backpacked Europe, I worked at a coffee shop, I was a reading tutor at an elementary school, and now I'm a mom.  It may be the worst paying job in the world according to my (non-existent) bank account, but it is the best paying job based off of the smiles, and giggles and cuddles I get.  I'm thankful that we have people to run the world, and the banks, and all of the businesses downtown, because I could never do that, but I am mostly thankful for my husband.  I am thankful that he has a job that can support our family, and that he sees the value in me staying home, because without him, I wouldn't be able to have my dream job.