Loving your job

Lately Conrad has been an extremely restless sleeper. He went from sleeping through the night for weeks on end now, to waking up 1-3 times which was really starting to mess us up. When Dustin brought him in to me this morning he said "It's official, Conrad has his first cold!" His face was covered in snot, he was wheezing, having trouble breathing, and coughing. So I fed him his breakfast, which he wasn't the least bit interested in. I put our walk on hold and decided to stay home all day with my sick little booger.

I drank 2 cups of strong coffee and tore the house apart bleaching toys, mopping the floors, stripping sheets and disinfecting all surfaces. A little extreme? Yeah, maybe so. But he's gone almost 6 months without a single ear infection, or cold and I was hoping my germ-termination would kill any bad guys (germs) lingering around. By far the biggest pain in my neck has been his teething. I'd sure like that stubborn tooth to show itself! We're waiting for your grand arrival tooth! Any day now tooth! I apologize if my son has gnawed on your shoulder or used your knuckle to help pop that tooth through. He chews on anything that comes close to his mouth. I'd like to have my fingers back too, my son thinks I'm his own personal teething toy!Stupid tooth!

Days like today make me grateful that we made the decision that I would stay home and that raising my son would become my new full time job. I am thankful that I am the person who wipes his snotty nose, and comforts him when he wakes up multiple times from his nap because his chest is so congested he can't get comfortable. I get to pray for him, and rush into his room to his rescue whispering "Sshh, Mama's here, Mama's here." as I bounce him and sooth him back to sleep.

I love my job. I have great hours. I work 6 am- 6 pm, and from time to time I work the grave yard shift, but I don't mind. I've experienced some of the sweetest times of my life working the grave yard shift. I especially love my job when I can have a hot meal sitting on the table, two glasses of wine, some garlic bread baking and a clean, sleeping baby in his bed by the time Dustin gets home at night. It makes me feel like I've accomplished a lot if all of those things happen. And if they don't and I haven't had time to prepare dinner, my husband is always happy to pick up Faustos on his way home and that's fine too.

I just love that I get to teach my son myself and be there for such intimate times with him. I like seeing him smack his lips when I say "Kisses", or when I say ball he'll go "Baa Baa." I'm grateful that I don't have to hand my son over to someone else at a day care when he's not feeling up to par. I'll be the one nursing him back to health and caring for him. That's a good feeling.

I like when my husband tells me that I'm successful at being a Mom, and says, Good job. That feels better than any raise or accolade I've ever gotten. I've never felt like I was good at a lot of things. So feeling like I'm not failing miserably at this job means a lot.

Conrad enjoying his piano toy that his Gi-Gi got for him at a yard sale

(cause she's a thrifty thrifty lady!)