Spice of Life

Yesterday Kieren was home sick and he was sitting on my lap coloring.  I was smothering him with kisses and hugs and loving it.  Suddenly I started thinking about his future wife for some reason.  I started thinking, man I hope I can love her like a daughter and let my baby boy go. I don't have a relationship with my mother in law.  It's sad but it's something I was made aware of before we got married, that it just wasn't going to be the "typical" mother in law/daughter in law relationship.  However I know that an aspect of the tension that lies there is in the fact that she had to "let go" of her baby boy.  That he would take the "side" of his wife and defend her in an argument and so on.  As a mom I can see how that would be difficult but I pray that being aware of that and beginning to think about it now, when my baby is only 6 will prepare me for it.  I want my future daughter in law to be welcomed, accepted and loved as our own.  The...

Let's be real here, parenthood is not easy.  In fact it's probably the hardest thing ever.  What amazes me though is how it can be the hardest thing and most rewarding thing simultaneously.  I always had a desire to have kids.  The summer before I started high school I spent a week with my cousins and their new baby.  I loved helping out and he was so cute!  I always saw little kids and thought, awe I want one!  I knew being a parent was hard, but of course you don't REALLY know until you are one.  Some people might think, "Oh my kid will never run through the aisles of the store screaming bloody murder...my kid will never throw themselves down on the sidewalk screaming and kicking because they just "can't walk anymore"...yada yada yada.  Then you have one.  All those preconceptions go right out the window.  You try different disciplining methods like taking away toys or time outs.  It seems like nothing works on this kid....