Oh baby...

 I started reading "Bringing up Bebe" the other day.

No, Ben and I are not expecting to hear the pitter-patter of little feet anytime soon. Part of my major in college was Early Childhood Education, and I honestly find the topic fascinating. I like to keep up with things in the child development field. In all honesty, while I may never become a teacher - the things I have learned have really help shape a lot of my beliefs on all things 'child' and I enjoy hearing theories, concepts, and ideas.

Thus, I'm just going to ramble for a few minutes on the topic.

Since my Mom was always working with Children, me and my sister were constantly exposed to the world that is child. Being around kids was a part of every day life - and I honestly thought that it was that way for everyone else. Since I've moved out of my parents house, I have been amazed to find out just how many women can write a 15 page paper on the fall of Communism, but cannot tell you how to change a dirty diaper. There are many women who can figure taxes with ease, but have no clue what that nasal euphoria called "baby smell" is...
*If you are reading this, and YOU have no idea what "baby smell" is... for the love of all that is Holy, grab the nearest baby - any one under the age of 1 will do - and sniff as if your life depends upon it! Preferably, a freshly changed baby. Grabbing and sniffing the wrong end of a dirty baby is just asking for problems.*
I've learned that many people approach children with fear and caution. Some because they don't really understand them - some because dealing with something small as a baby can be rough. Dealing with the hovering adults freaking out that you'll do something wrong - is worse.
Example: My sister (sorry sis - throwing you under the bus here.) and babies aren't exactly like peanut butter and jelly. Small babies tend to not like her... She's uncomfortable and babies can sense fear. When our friend Tabby announced that she was having a baby - Katie was excited beyond belief. In fact, her first words were: "This is great!!! I can hold it and if I drop it it wont matter!!!"
Yeah, that might have come out completely wrong. Thankfully, Tabby and the rest of us at the table understood what it actually meant: "I think babies are cool - but they're tiny and scare the crap out of me. New moms freak me out more. But I'm comfortable with you so I wont be too freaked out to hold this baby!"
Heck, I don't blame her - I myself refuse to hold a baby if certain adults are around. We adults really make things all too complicated.


While I do not have children on my own - I have learned that dealing with children honestly comes down to three basic rules:

1 - No matter how much you plan and prepare, you will still be surprised and feel like you're never prepared. (Thus save you and the kid some stress - don't be too hard on yourself.)

2 - Every child is different. (It doesn't matter if you raise 49 children - the 50th will still surprise you.) But they all require the same basic needs: love, safety, respect, etc.

3 - It's a life-long learning deal. You cannot wrap child care/rearing/teaching up into a neat little box with a pretty little ribbon - you just can't. There will ALWAYS be new things to learn.



Okay, I should probably go face the laundry room that I've been avoiding like the plague. I ran out of clean pants 3 days ago...

- Extra love and baby giggles to all.

Sniffle, sniffle, hack, hack.

I actually don't have any clue what to write about tonight.

Oh, there are many things I COULD write about... Weddings, babies, (neither of which are mine - no worries.) animals, cooking, lack of cleaning (I didn't clean as planned... seriously someone is going to pop in on me... MORT-I-FIED. Oh well, at least I warned myself.) the upcoming Christmas holidays... and what-not. But unfortunately, my mind isn't put together well enough tonight - Thus, we're just going to go for it.

I've been fighting what seems to be a cold since last Friday. Just when I thought it was almost over... I have a super busy day... that is made difficult by the all-day brain-fart I seemed to be living in. You know what I'm talking about? I just wanted to home and crawl up under a thick, cozy blanket... and not think... (and only talk to my husband - he doesn't judge me by the insanities that spew out of my mouth some days. Note: I said insanities - not profanities.)

I did manage to make a healthy, hearty meal of Manwich when I got home! (along with some cookies. Soul food, my friends. Soul. Food.)

Now, watching late night shows (DVR peeps. Great invention.) with the hubs and spying on my facebook friends.

Okay, so this was shorter than I intended.

But really, it's cold.
I'm going to go pop some (cold) pills and sniff some vicks.

Cough Drops and Tissues to all.
(In other words, "peace" and "love" to all.)

Did I never tell you that??

Hello Friday!

I have BIG plans this weekend - to do absolutely NOTHING. (Except for clean my house. That hasn't happened in a while. I know if I don't do something about it soon, someone will pop in unexpected and I will be utterly MORTIFIED.)

The last few weekends have been CRAZY.
Heck, the last few MONTHS have been crazy.

Hmm... where shall I start?

How about Hubby's new job?
That seems like a nice place to begin.

I have to say, for this being a blog about my life as a wife - I have been keeping a rather large factor of my marriage away from my blog.

A month after we got married, Ben got a third shift job.

An hour away from home.

With amazing amounts of overtime.

At one point, Hubs was working 72 hours a week on a regular basis.
Every day, he would come home between 4 and 6am (No, I was not awake - even though sometimes I would talk to him in my sleep.) and head directly to bed. I would get up between 6:30 and 7 and, kiss him goodbye (No, he was not awake - even though sometimes he talked to me in his sleep.) and head off to work. I would come home around 12, wake him up, and eat lunch together. (It was our supper.) Then I would go back to work. He would go to work at 4 and I would not really "see" him again in a conscious state until lunch the next day. We would talk for an hour every night on the phone - which was always nice.

Two weeks ago, we became a first shift family.

That's right - as I type this, he is sitting beside me.
I actually get to see my husband every night.
We eat supper together.
Watch TV together.
Talk about our days.
And go to bed at the same time.
I love it.
It has completely thrown my world askew.
In a good way.

We both really do love it. I'm just having to rearrange and rework my routine. He's having to do the same - and it's much harder for him. I guess it's weird being up only during the day time. He always told me it was an entirely different world.
I believe him.

Now, I kept all of the third shift stuff to myself because, well... I was home alone.
At night.
In a relatively new neighborhood.
It's just me and my older lady neighbor.
And Betsey.
(we stay locked and loaded around this joint.)
Ben always told me that there was nothing scarier than coming home and the bedroom door being locked. At that point, he knew that I had either had a bad dream. (yes, that still happens for me - and yes, I'm a complete baby about it.) or I had heard some unidentifiable noise. (see previous comment in parentheses.) It meant me and Betsey were prepared - and he better identify himself.
Even though I tried to keep the whole being-alone-at-night thing on the down-low, I cannot tell you how many times that women who knew me would talk to people and say how brave I was to stay alone at night - and then to help explain who I was, tell them exactly where I live. Scarily comical.

Now, all of that is but a memory.
I hope it stays that way. :)

Now, if you'll excuse me - I'm going to go eat with my hubby.

It's me again...

This will be a short post, but never fear!

First of all, I would like yo extend my well wishes and congratulations to my dear friends, Will and Kate. congratulations on your little bundle of joy. Also, feel better soon! You're in my prayers, Kate!

*disclaimer: I am sad to say, but I do not know the royals. Ben's aunt and I would refer to them as our dear friends during the time of the royal nuptials. (see, Nikki - I knew I could throw that word in somewhere! Although, I have no idea if I actually spelled that right...) In all seriousness though, I do hope she gets to feeling better and are happy for them and their exciting news.*

On to other things:

In case any of you have noticed, I've walked away from my little blog for a while. Why? Maybe I needed a little time to adjust to new circumstances, maybe I needed a little inspiration - maybe a little of both. I must admit, I don't know if that's what I had intended, but its certainly what I got. I have many stories, rants, and jokes to tell - and there is no way that I can do justice to all of them in a single blog post. (Plus the holidays are upon us!!) thus, you shall be seeing more from me. I really am sorry I've been gone so long little blog. I have missed you.

Get excited.

I'm baaaaackkkk!