"I am free today"

Dear Brody,

     Happy birthday little man! Today, you are three! Or "free" as you say. These past three years have flown by! It feels like just yesterday that I was holding my solid little, yellow baby in my arms. You definitely make this family whole. Right now, you are way into cars, trucks, especially garbage trucks, Max and Ruby, Curious George and anything that can produce water. You are also very into pouring one thing into another. Doesn't matter what it is.... whether it's water from one cup to another, or an entire container of sugar into a pitcher- you do it. Your daily jobs are: putting clothes in the hamper, putting your dirty dishes in the sink and filling up the dog's water. You have a small obsession with dog poop- we are hoping that means you may be some kind of butt doctor or something when you grow up. Annoying your sister is your main goal during the day though.... you are good at it.

I love that you are so cuddly. Each morning you get in bed with me and cuddle right up next to me and lay your head on my shoulder. The same thing after your nap (except I am on the couch- not in bed, Eric). You still love your blankie and can't sleep without it. This year you will get to go to Vacation Bible School with Delaney and I will probably cry when I leave the church parking lot that morning because you are such a big boy now.

Thank you for making life so full and so happy, Monkey. I can't imagine what life would be like without you.
You are my bud and we love you so much.

Love,

Mommy

To the lady.....

To the lady at Michael's who told me she wants to be a stay at home mom and do nothing all day and go shopping whenever I want:

Yes, I stay home with my kids. I understand this is a privilege and I don't take it for granted. This decision is also a sacrifice on our behalf. One income=less money. For the record, I DO NOT do nothing all day. I am the dishwasher (multiple times a day), the janitor, the pooper scooper, the chef (again multiple times a day), the laundromat, the organizer, the chauffeur, the tear drier, the encourager, the nurse, the maid, the dipaer changer, the potty trainer,  just to name a few of my jobs. I work my butt off keeping up with the kids, dogs and the finances. I run errands, make phone calls, cut coupons to save us money, and am constantly figuring out ways to spend less money. I teach my kids respect, love and responsibility. My work day, does NOT end at 5:00. I don't get a day off. I don't go shopping for pleasure with the kids (believe me) and btw, weren't YOU at Michael's at the SAME time as me? So you were shopping in the middle of the week in the middle of the morning too. Weird.

Do I get to sit down and watch TV? Yeah sometimes- don't you get a lunch break? When you have kids that are 18 months apart, or even 5 years  apart, whatever it may be, I hope you get the opportunity to stay home with your kids and you remember the comment you made to me this morning. Let's see how much 'nothing' you do.

Sincerely,

The Stay at Home Mom

**End of rant**