Dear Self

This entire week I looked forward to being off of work today. I had visions of waking up, showering leisurely, taking Emma to school and coming home  to enjoy a delicious cup of Eggnog coffee before starting my chores. I planned to spend the morning putting away laundry and cleaning in preparation for my family's arrival. In the afternoon, I was going to visit a friend and her new baby and then go pick Emma up early from school.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. That is present me laughing at that rainbow colored glasses wearing version of me. Instead, I spent most of last night listening to my sick husband snore in a Nyquil induced stupor and then just as I started to sleep around 2 am, Emma woke up with a 103 fever. The rest of the night was spent watching Nic Jr. with a boiling hot baby next to me. :(  Today, my husband proclaims he is dying and can't move off of the sofa. So, I pack up the baby in the car, drop off the ziti with my friend who had the baby and then come home and put my sweet girl down for a nap. While she naps, I run and pick up a prescription for Mike at Target and grocery shop at Martins. What the hell was I thinking to do either of these on the Friday before Christmas? I congratulate myself on not hurting anyone or losing my temper. I get a call while in the checkout line from Mike that says that Emma's temp is now 104. I get through the line, beg  her doctor to see her before her 3:30 appointment and rush her over to the doctor's office. In the examine room, I hold her down while the nurse swabs her throat for strep. Then I spend the next 45 minutes entertaining a cranky child with no props to help me. Finally, with a diagnosis of strep we head home...both of us exhausted. An early bath done, Emma is down for the count. I take a minute to write this blog entry and then there are dishes calling my name while my husband snores on the sofa.

Merry Christmas!

Life Changing

The other day I was looking at videos of Emma we have taken since she arrived on the scene. I can watch them over and over and over. Her little personality is evident the first day we brought her home. She has always been quick to laugh and to make us laugh. Watching her grow up before my eyes made me a little sad but it also filled my heart to bursting. I have always loved children but I had no idea  that your own child would fill you with the take my breath away kind of love. Other parents will know what I mean. One minute you can be so mad and your child will give you a hug or a smile and you forget whatever it was you were mad at her about in the first place. When she cries I just want to comfort her and  when she laughs,  which she does A LOT, I just want to bottle it up and take it with me everywhere I go. Someone the other day said that having a little one is like having a drug addiction (not really but follow me for a second), you are always trying to get your next fix of that laugh or hug or kiss or other adorable thing that she or he bestows upon you. It is truly glorious.

Everyone around me is having their second, third or fourth child and Mike and I are looking forward to the time when we have our second some day. However, I wonder how can I love another child as much as I love Emma. It must be possible because people go on to have more than one child all the time. Guess we'll have to wait our turn to see.

On another completely separate note, my favorite thing that Emma does now is play with our pets. She is completely obsessed with Ellie and the cats. Murphy will let her do whatever she wants to him including pulling his tail or laying on him. Ellie will play with her and let her hug her. Ellie has never let anyone hug her in the 8 years I've had her. Right this second she has found a cat toy and is playing with Mattie. It's quite funny. I think having a pet is so great for a kid. Ahh...I hear baby laughter! LOVE IT.