She's All Ears!

Monday, MM and I took Bunny to her Audiology Exam as a result of her two-year well-child checkup.  I explained why she needed the exam in this post, but basically, she is behind a bit in her speech, and hearing problems need to be ruled out.

As the exam drew near, I had the startling realization that we had no idea what to expect.  I made a quick "Help Me!" post on Facebook and got some great responses that put my mind at ease a bit, but I still didn't really know what we were heading into.  For that reason, I documented the whole experience so that if anyone else had a child in need of an audiology exam, they could come here and see what the process was all about.

A disclaimer, though.  This is just what OUR experience was.  Different doctors will probably do things slightly differently, but from those I've polled, their experiences were similar to ours.  Please don't assume your child's exam will be exactly the same.

First off, the test was totally non-invasive and, actually, quite fun for Bunny.  She was in good spirits that day, so if she had been in a grouchy mood, her reaction may have been different.  We got to the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic and sat in the waiting room for quite a while.  It was interesting to be in a medical office with more than just children for a change.  Bunny quickly took over the waiting room and spent her wait running back and forth between our claimed seats and a Gumball/Peanut M&M dispenser on the other side of the room.

Wreaking havoc in the waiting room.  Luckily, it wasn't that crowded.

When we were called back, Dr. T., the Audiologist, led us to a dark room with a small, bright room (the "box") inside of it.  There was plenty of medical equipment in there to pique Bunny's curiosity and, while she explored, Dr. T., MM, and I discussed the procedure and the reason for the exam.

Step One: Dr. T. asked one of us to sit in a chair in the box with Bunny on our lap.  MM was selected as she had been a bit clingy with him in the waiting room, so we thought she might be more comforted by him.  Once they were settled, Dr. T. placed a series of instruments in each of Bunny's ears.  The first measured the vibrations of her ear drum, I assume via sonar, and the second was a series of beeps.  Bunny was good with the first instrument, but did NOT like the beeps.  Luckily, I had planned ahead and packed some of Bunny's favorites, M&M's, so I gave her some of those to get through the test.

In the "box", getting measurements done.

Step Two: Dr. T. closed up the box with MM and Bunny in it.  This part of the test consisted of a noise transmitting into either the left or right side of the box.  When Bunny looked in the direction of the sound, she was rewarded by a dancing, flashing figure that was mounted in the box, an elephant on the left, and a clown on the right.  Directly ahead, a puppy dog was mounted.  Dr. T. used the puppy to get Bunny to focus when she started anticipating a noise.  This went on for a while and actually turned into great fun as Bunny laughed and giggled as the figures moved.  (I meant to get pictures of the inside of the box, specifically the figures, but forgot as we were leaving.)

Locked in!!  :)

And guess what, that was it!  It really was just a two-step process!  The test itself lasted maybe fifteen minutes and we were able to get the results right away.  Bunny passed with flying colors.  Praise God!  Dr. T. said that her hearing was right in line with where it should be and that her ears were exceptionally clean and healthy.


So, it really was that easy.  If I had any pointers, it would be these:

1. As best as you are able, schedule the exam for a time when you know your toddler is usually in a good mood.  A cranky kid will get even crankier when you start shoving things in their ears.
2. Plan a distraction tactic for the ear measurements.  For us, it was M&M's.  You could take a favorite doll, a blanket, or even their favorite person.  I was glad we had it just in case, and you will be, too!

We are thankful that the hearing exam went well and even more thankful that Bunny doesn't have any hearing issues.  Now we can move on towards the next steps in supporting her linguistic development: continued learning at home and a speech evaluation with a professional.
 

Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions about our experience with the audiologist, don't hesitate to ask!! 

Preschool at Home

Tomorrow, my little Bunny and I are starting a new, exciting adventure.  Before I get to that, though, we'll have to backtrack a little.

Our big Bunny girl turned 2 years old a week ago tomorrow.  I just can't believe it!  She has grown into this wonderful, silly, spunky ball of energy and we laugh together as a family every single day.  As every parent knows, 2 years old means a doctor's appointment for a well-child checkup.  Bunny's was last Tuesday.  Everything looked great.  She was healthy and happy and the only concern her new pediatrician had physically was that she was a bit underweight for her height.  No problem, more food more often and we'll check back in in six months.

Then, we got to the mental and emotional development.  Oh my.  It was what we were expecting, but we were still hoping for better news.  After discussing some milestones with her doctor, we were told Bunny is a little behind linguistically and socially and possibly in some of her motor skills.  We discussed our options with Dr. B. and went on our way with a referral to have an audiology exam done, the number for Early Childhood Intervention, and a bit of uneasiness about the road ahead.

We got home.  And then we prayed.  A lot.  And watched Bunny to see for ourselves if we thought she was truly behind.  After a few days, we had to rethink our assessment of her.  She was eating with a spoon like a semi-pro, a big deal for a two-year old.  She had acquired the 50+ word vocabulary a 2 year old should have and seemed to be learning and retaining new words daily.  We still had the whole social skills issue going on, but we felt she was making, and had been making, progress we hadn't seen.  She was moving forward while I though she was stuck in idle.

After more thought and prayer, God gave us answers.  Great ones.  Exciting ones.  Hopeful ones.  I was able to admit my shortcomings to myself and MM.  I have been relying on the TV a little too much to keep Bunny busy while I finished chores around the house and I was letting my extreme social anxiety affect her social development.  Those could easily two huge contributors to her issues.  I knew what could be done to help Bunny, and I knew how and when to do it.

I signed up immediately for a Fall Women's Bible Study at the church we've been visiting so that I could spend that two hours every Tuesday morning in fellowship with other Moms and Bunny could spend it with kids her age.  I also committed to going to MOPs every other Wednesday once they start back up in September.  That's another few hours to socialize. For both of us.  We committed as a family to not miss church anymore and get her in the nursery during worship every Sunday.  With all of that, and the occasional toddler time at the library, I think she'll be back on track socially in no time.

Then came the language situation.  We decided that Bunny just didn't have enough quiet learning and play time at the house, so we decided I would commit to turning the TV off and being sure to track how much she watches and tostart doing "Preschool at Home".

I scoured the internet for resources and curriculum ideas and found this Letter of the Week Preparatory Curriculum.  I immediately knew I could make that work for us and set about planning the first week's lesson.  I've used the ideas on the site to make Bunny a Learning Board to use each day, and spent some time printing corresponding coloring sheets, poems, and nursery rhymes.

Bunny's Learning Board.  So pleased with the outcome!

We start tomorrow at her new little "Home School" station.  I've put a few hard hours into making sure I'm ready and getting things together, but it has all been such a fun blessing for me.  I even got to make a solo trip to Hobby Lobby in order to shop for supplies!  (I'll do a detailed post later on about what I bought and what my Preschool at Home start-up costs were.)  We are still going to have her audiology exam done (tomorrow) and consult with a private Speech Language Pathologist, but we are almost certain that our plans as they are will result in great strides being made and a 2 1/2 year old that flies past all her milestones at her next check up!

Her Homeschool Station.

 So, long story short, the "Star Academy Preschool at Home" starts tomorrow morning and we cannot wait to see how fun it will be and how far our little student will go!

Our curriculum binder.  (I'll go into detail regarding the contents in another post.)

Running towards the future!!

 We are so ready, so excited, and SO BLESSED!  I'll update soon on how Preschool at Home is going, how the audiology exam turns out, and what we hear from the SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) we meet as soon as possible!!

Thanks for reading and many blessings!

Wordless Wednesday: Pure Joy

Check out more Wordless Wednesday posts here.

Silver Lining

When you're preparing to take the next big step in your life, sometimes it's hard to stop and say goodbye to the things you're leaving behind.  Our preparations to move occurred right in the middle of Christmas.  It would have been easy for us to put Christmas on a shelf and get caught up in the tasks of moving.  We praise God that He gave us the foresight to stop and remember to say goodbye.

We had a glorious Christmas.  It was quiet and low-key, just how we like it.  We set aside the whole day and kept it free from packing, cleaning, AND stressing about the move.  Bunny got up in the morning and opened some very special presents.  We had a leisurely morning together.  We lived in the moment.  Bunny won't remember it, but MM and I will.  We forgot for a second that, after Christmas Day, we only had 3 days left to pack before loading up the truck.  And that was so healing.

Living in those moments is so important to us, especially in our current situation.  As I think about MM being away from us, even if it is just 4 or 5 days at a time, I think of how blessed I am to be able to be with Bunny 24/7.  When Bunny runs to me, I stop, I shower her with kisses, I hug her tight, I smell her hair.  I know that these moments are slipping by and I won't be able to hold her forever.  I hate that MM is missing this, but I know that the silver lining to all this is that I am learning to slow down, put the laundry on hold, and savor these moments. 

I hope that our time apart from MM is short.  I miss him something fierce.  But the God that has blessed us with this new adventure, this new opportunity, will surely carry us through this.  And I'm so thankful He has blessed us all with a safe place to be apart from each other.  And, when we are all together 100% of the time again, may this time remind us to savor those small moments, those are the ones Bunny, and we her parents, will remember.

On Babes and Sleeping

I never thought I'd be one of those "Cry It Out" mamas.  Then life happened.  From about Leilani's 4-month birthday, we have been victims of unintentional co-sleeping.  Honestly, we didn't really mind it.  It was nice to snuggle up to her chunky body and be there to nurse the second she needed a night feeding.

Then she turned a year old.  The co-sleeping honeymoon was over.  We were at a loss as to how to transition her to her crib.  Every single nap and every single overnight sleep has been in our bed for MONTHS.  How do you even go about doing it? 

Our attempts were a comedy of errors, but they always ended in the same place.  Bunny in our bed, kicking, head-butting, and fussing through the night while MM and I tried in vain to get a decent night's rest. 

Then one day, MM went out of town.  And Mama decided that enough was enough.  (Plus, making the bed after a middle-of-the-night diaper leak is no fun.  Especially when you're such dedicated co-sleepers that you have bed rails installed on your queen size "family" bed.  So serious.  Not even joking a bit.)

Mama was all ready for a showdown.  Well, not really.  This Mama was terrified that she wasn't going to be strong enough and that poor Bunny was going to suffer indefinitely for a few nights and then end up back in the "family" bed.

Well, Bunny had other plans.  Bunny, you see, has "grown up".  Her first time in the crib was an afternoon nap.  She fussed for about 12 minutes, with Mama going in at regular intervals to reassure her and love her a bit, of course.  But then, she was out.  And out she stayed.  For 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Alone.  In her crib.

Then came the first nighttime try in her crib.  Now, nights are usually a huge fiasco.  There is fussing, playing, talking, and general "what-can-I-do-to-stay-up-as-long-as-possible" techniques.  The bedtime routine at our house usually starts around 9 pm and has even, inexplicably, lasted up to 11 pm.  That's right.  Some nights she's up until 11.

But then, she went a grew up.  My sweet, little snuggly baby turned into a sleeping-on-her-own toddler in a day.  For bed that night, the usual nighttime routine of bottle, then story, then lullaby was executed and then Bunny was gently placed in her crib.  Mama said, "Good night, Mama loves you," and then walked out.  Bunny whimpered for 3 minutes, then Mama checked in again with a pat and some more "good nights", and then walked out.  And Mama waited and waited for the fussing to begin.  It never did.  And Mama cried.

But, I know it's all for the best.  MM and I will once again get to cuddle at night.  And we can probably take the bed rails off the bed now since neither of us has fallen out of the bed in a very long time.  And, most of all, we can tell our girl how proud we are of her and how grown up she is. 

And then tell her to stop it right now.  No more growing up so fast!!

September 2012 in 5 Minutes

September has FLOWN by.  I cannot believe that we're just 1 day away from October.  It has gone by in such a flash that I'm just not sure what to make of it.  Let's see what I can remember:

MM went out of town for two nights.  :(  Bunny and I definitely missed him.  Auntie Munky came to visit during part of his time gone, so that distracted us and made it a lot easier.  Auntie Munky is so much fun and Bunny just LOVES cuddling and playing with her. 

Bunny has been doing a lot of moving and learning lately.  I swear she grows by the minute.  She has become the master of several signs and can usually effectively convey to us what is bothering her.  She got two new teeth up top and as of today has two more top teeth just barely peeking through.  Still only two on the bottom.  No walking, yet, but she has taken a few steps on her own, so we know it's just around the corner.  I'll soon be spending my days chasing a toddling toddler.

Oh, and she has also become the QUEEN of bed-head.  Most of her mornings look about like this:

She has also taken the art of being lazy to new heights.  Quite a few mornings this month have looked a lot like this:

Bunny also likes to spend quite a bit of time looking out the front door, waiting for her Daddy to come home from work.

But mostly, she has learned that monkey pajama pants on her head make Daddy and Mommy laugh hysterically.  Especially when she makes this face:

So, what does October hold?  Well, we know that there will be a visit from my grandparents around the middle of the month, a 14-month birthday, a visit from Auntie Awesome around the end of the month, and, unfortunately, another trip for MM for a few nights :(, and lots and lots and LOTS of Fall Fun. 

(We are also hoping and praying and praying some more that we'll also get to make a big happy, happy, joy, joy announcement around the end of the month, but that's all in God's hands.)

Is time absolutely whooshing by for you, too?  I would like it to slow down a bit, please.  I'll just fill up on more cuddles with my girl and more Halloweenie shows and movies with my MM and we'll hope to make the time slow down by filling it with wonderful memories!! 

This Busy Life!

Mommy and her Princess!

Such a girly-girl.  She loves her hair bows!

MM behind the grill!  Hubba-hubba!

Coloring with Auntie Munky!  What fun!!

Waiting for Daddy to get home.

Bed-head!

Cuddles on the sofa.

Feeling a bit lazy in the morning.  Too hilarious.

Watching her Daddy work outside.

We have been so busy lately that I just haven't made the time to sit down and blog about the busy-ness.  Long story short; our days are full but are so blessed!!  Thank you, God, for this amazing life!!

Quick Post!

It has been a rough week, hence my absence from working on my Priorities.  I will get back to that ASAP, but in the meantime, here's what's been going on:

1. Bunny was back at the doctor, AGAIN.  She's been to the doctor's office more in the last two weeks than she has in the last 6 months.  It was another double-ear infection and a viral rash brought on by her vaccinations.
2. I'm FLYing again.  Even pre-Bunny my house wasn't this clean!  It's amazing!
3. Bunny has moved on to only one long afternoon nap every day.  Surprisingly, it's more of a blessing than a burden; I get more done in that big chunk of time than I did rushing through her little naps throughout the day.
4. Bunny has also been having some rough nights.  Night terrors, ear pain, teething pain, and just general fussiness has led to a very tired week for MM and I.  
5. FALL IS HERE!  Well, not really.  But, in the Star household, we buck convention and declare September 1 the first day of Fall every year.  It works for us because the weather is already turning and we love this season so much that we'd do anything to stretch it out a little longer.
6. We are having the best time right now.  Life is so much fun and we are just loving every moment God has given us.  
7. There may be some big changes ahead in the Star household.  I really don't know what they may be, but they are in God's hands and we can't wait to see what He has in store.
8. And finally, Bunny-girl is getting so big, it's making me a little sad.  She is flexing her independence and really testing her boundaries.  And while it may be frustrating in the heat of the moment, we are happy to see that she is strong-willed and will be able to stand her ground when she needs to.

Priorities

I live in fear of the perfect blog post.  I haven't been here since July 30 for one reason and one reason only; time.  I never feel like I have the time to make even a cogent blog post, much less one that is enjoyable to read.  I've decided now that none of that matters.  I will even go so far as to say that a post or two now and then may not be edited before I hit "Publish".  I just don't care.  I have a beautiful life and it needs to be recorded.  And blogging is my favorite way to do it. 

What's going on right now?  Well, there's this:

My Bunny, my beautiful little ball of awesomeness and energy and everything good that ever was is a whopping year old now!  Can you believe it?  She is our toddling toddler!!

I must sound like a broken record to MM because I swear I say the same things every night, "Can you believe how much we love her?!", "I love her so much!", "Isn't she SO much fun?!?!", and my personal favorite, "Look at her", because EVERYTHING she does is amazing to me and I am afraid to miss her next goofy face, big milestone, or first words.  She is awesome.  I praise God that my job in life is to stay at home and raise this little.  Even on our worst days, (there was one particular day/night last week that was horrendous on account of a double-ear infection and teething), I have so much fun just being Mommy. 

Because of her, and MM, and the fact that I have been "retired" for 10+ weeks without much progress on anything, I've decided my life needs to be prioritized.  Every Mama has multiple facets of her life that each need a bit of attention to maintain balance.  Unfortunately for most of us, though, something always slips through the cracks.  I'm tired of doing that to myself and feeling guilty, bitter, or just plain mad at the end of  a week because I didn't devote enough time to this or that part of my life.


How do I propose to fix this problem?  A list, of course!  I listed the ten most important things in my life in order of importance to me and have slowly been working through ways to ensure that each item receives attention.  Here's my list:

1. My relationship with God
2. My relationship with MM
3. My relationship with and raising of Bunny
4. Making/enjoying time for me
5. Preparing good, homemade food for my family
6. Creating and maintaining an organized house
7. Building up outside relationships
8. Getting and staying healthy
9. Hosting others in our home
10. Having a clean house

That is my list as of this moment.  Some of the items are probably obvious to you, some maybe not so much.  There are two things I know about this whole process: 1) I will never be able to PERFECTLY balance my priorities; I'm not looking for perfection, but attention - I want to make sure I at least attend to each item on a weekly basis, 2) this list will evolve as I grow; there are things that are missing from this list that I do want in my life, but I'm just not ready to add those on, yet.

I have already started paying a little more attention to each item on this list and that's without a conscious daily effort.  Just knowing the list exists makes me more aware.  As a matter of fact, typing this blog takes care of a little #4 time as blogging is so cathartic for me!

My hope is that I will come back soon to touch base on each priority I have made for myself.  Getting it down on "paper", especially for others to see, really helps me evaluate and organize my thoughts and ideas and really gets the ball rolling for me.

What about you?  How do you prioritize your life?

God bless and thanks for reading!

"For God did not give you a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline." ~2 Timothy 1:7

Preparing for Goodbye

I don't know if I ever thought about how I would feel once my days of producing breast milk for Bunny were over.  Now I believe I'm staring the end in the face and I feel like I'm in mourning.  I half-expected to be done around her one-year birthday and half-expected to keep going until she was two years old.  But, I always thought I would be the one to make that decision. 

I know my feelings are valid, though.  I have been the primary source of nutrition for my little girl for 11 1/2 months outside the womb, and 9 months inside.  I am grieving just the idea of stopping here.  I am amazed at what my body and what my mind have allowed me to do, to give to my baby girl, and I'm so sad to see that part of being a Mama fade.

Being able to successfully breastfeed Bunny was a fight, from day 1.  I had trouble working with her to latch, I was already experiencing symptoms of some pretty extreme post-partum anxiety, and my body was overtaxed.  I landed in the hospital with high blood pressure on her 3rd day of life and I felt my chances of breastfeeding slipping away.

While I was in the hospital, Bunny had formula for I believe 1 to 2 days and nights.  In the hospital, I was able to get my milk flowing through scheduled pumping sessions.  Half of the attending staff was all for it and half wanted me to stop and focus on correcting my blood pressure.  What that latter half couldn't understand was that giving up on breastfeeding felt like giving up on my daughter and caused me more anxiety and blood pressure spikes than any pumping schedule ever could.  I feel like I fought a hard fight to ensure that MY milk was what Bunny lived off of, not anything else.

I succeeded.  We triumphed together.  We were Mama and daughter, connected through the womb and the breast.  It was beautiful.  And then our independent Bunny decided she had too much to do and didn't have time for nursing.  I was a little hurt, but largely unphased.  If she wouldn't nurse, I would pump, ALL her bottles.  The last time she nursed was about 3 months ago, but every single drop of milk she's had since her first week of life has been from me.

Now I'm sitting here, in the middle of the night, after a long day of pumping every two hours, waiting for the minutes to tick by so that I can get one last pumping session in before bed.  I am tired.  I am lonely for the snuggles in our warm family bed.  But I must press on.  For me.  For her.  I will fight for every last drop I can give her and will surrender only when my body or my family cannot take the strain of constant pumping, extra calories, or days without adequate sleep.

The thought of closing this part of our mother-daughter relationship strikes me to my very core.  I am not a judge of those who didn't/don't breastfeed; every family must decide what's best for them and be PROUD of that decision.  But, I do know that mothers who have provided their milk to nourish their children have something that other mothers don't.  I don't know what it is and I don't know why it is.  I just know that, after we fought so damn hard to be that source of nourishment for our children, we have it.  And no one can take that away.

Losing that ability, especially when it's not by choice, is filling me with grief.  I know it is not the end of the world, but it is the end of something very special, something no one can take away from me, and something no one but me can ever claim.

These Happy Dog Days

Ahhhh, the dog days of summer.  I'm sure it's a known fact that my favorite time of year is Autumn, but these long, drawn-out summer days of summer are a blast, too.  We've been filling our days with fun splashing in the pool (well, on the weekends.  Mommy hasn't attempted anything that ambitious on her own yet), late Saturday morning breakfasts together, and lots and lots of cuddles.

Mommy and Bunny seem to be settling into a reasonable routine of not having a routine at all.  Everything I read says, "babies MUST have a routine!"  Everywhere I look, I see "routine, routine, schedule, routine."  Well, I hate to disappoint all the experts, but a routine doesn't seem "best" for us.  I follow B's cues and we seem to be enjoying a peaceful, happy life.  There's nothing in the world I want more.  

Most days start pretty late, after Daddy's left for work.  Mommy pumps while B watches her favorite show, Doc McStuffins.  After that, it's breakfast for both of us, and then a little floor time for play.  B loves to play on her own, but also crawls right over the second I sit on the floor for a joint play session.  After B's been up for 2 hours, she goes down for a nap.  Most of her morning naps are only 30 minutes long, but that's just enough time for Mommy to clean up the house and get some laundry started.  MM usually comes home for lunch during the "morning" nap, but B tends to wake up while he is still home.  After MM leaves, Mommy and Bunny eat a nice, leisurely lunch.  Bunny is completely self-feeding now and balks at the idea of being spoon-fed.  She eats pretty much anything we put on her tray, but she loves pasta, carrots, and peas the most.  After lunch, it's more play time, usually with some sort of educational aspect like reading a book or two, going over her signs, "reviewing" her flash cards, or just exploring shapes and colors with her toys.  If we have errands to run, though, this is the time we do them.  It's when she's happiest, although I do try to limit errand-running to one day a week for sanity's sake! When B starts yawning and rubbing her eyes, it's back to bed for her afternoon nap.  Her afternoon nap varies and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.  While she is napping, I work on the household chores or work on building my Thirty-One business.  After nap time, MM comes home and it's pretty much dinner, playtime with Daddy, bath time, then bed.  Approximately 12 hours later, B wakes up and we start all over again!  So, I guess it is a routine of sorts, but nowhere near as structured as all those professionals say it should be.  No, we're not on a three-hour cycle.  No, things don't happen at the same exact minute every day, BUT, we're happy and again, that's what matters!

Just look at that happy, silly face!  How could anyone possibly suggest she isn't loving her life with Mommy right now?! 

10 Months!!

Posted this yesterday on my Facebook, but forgot to post it over here.  Sorry about that!

"Today we have a 10-month old. She is becoming her own little person and I know that if we blink, we'll miss something new. She is stubborn as a mule and loves to test her boundaries. She is a sweet, passionate girl who loves to give Mommy kisses all the time, but will only give Daddy kisses through her binky. We're pretty sure it has to do with all his whiskers. She dances ALL THE TIME, to just about any music, but the theme song to Big Bang Theory stops her in her tracks and she dances with her whole body any time it's on. She is crawling every where she can possibly get and tries to get everywhere she's not allowed. She still hates to sleep. She thinks she's missing something important. She absolutely refuses being fed now so all Mommy's homemade baby food goes into sauces for pasta and toast instead. When she doesn't like something, she makes the funniest faces and throws the rest off of her high chair tray. She has a habit of crinkling her nose and squinting her eyes and looks a lot like her Mimi when she does it.

You are amazing, baby girl, baby! Our Bunny-Foo-Foo, our Cheeks McGee, our Little Bug, our Baby Love! We love you bunchies and bunchies!!"

Week 1

Being a stay-at-home-mom, or SAHM, is a lot of things, but most of all, rewarding.  Bunny is currently napping, MM is playing our favorite video game, and I'm finally enjoying my "morning" cup of coffee while relaxing on the sofa.  It's not glamorous, it's not "exciting" by society's standards, and for some it may be downright boring, but it's our life and we love it.

I've learned quite a bit the first week, most of which I'm sure other SAHMs can already vouch for, but I'll quickly run down what I know after Week 1.

1. It's not going to be like you thought it was.  (Well, duh, when is life ever the way we imagined it?  At least I was prepared for it this time.)
2. You will have NO TIME!  I know things will get better as Bunny and I develop a schedule, but for now I am getting 1/8 - 1/4 of the things done I "plan" to each day.  Par for the course, Mama.
3. Nap time doesn't miraculously improve just because you will it to.  Another duh moment, but I was honestly hoping we'd have made better progress after a week.
4. There is no task more important than cuddles.  And there is no guilt involved in stopping what I'm doing for cuddles, either.
5. Finally being in the midst of our new financial situation is HARD, but there is peace in knowing that God will provide.
6. A walk a day keeps the Mommy blues away.  It's refreshing.  It's "me" time.  It's good for me!
7. Catching up on laundry is the kobayashi maru of the SAHM's life. That and keeping the dishes done.  Where do they all come from for Pete's sake?!?!  (Okay, to be honest, it's the plight of all parents' lives, but it seems more pronounced now that I stare at it all day rather than being able to ignore the problem for 8 hours at work). 
8. That moment of silence right after the nap begins is truly golden.  And then it's shattered by ear-piercing shrieks because the binky slipped from the lips before Bunny was completely out.  Oy-vey. 
9. That whole, "I'm going to have all the chores for the day done by the time MM walks in the door from work every day of the week" thing?  A pipe dream, sister.  Not going to happen.  Probably ever.
10. It will all be worth it.  End of story.

But, what I promise is:

1. I will not get caught up in the uncrossed to-dos.  They can be crossed off another day.
2. I will not be a slave to dust bunnies, dirty dishes, or dirty clothes.  
3. I will take care of myself.  For me.  For Bunny.  For MM.
4. I will stop to smell the roses, namely those chubby, rosy-red cheeks.
5. Kisses will flow freely and relentlessly.  I hope you like kisses, kid.
6. MM and Bunny are #2.  God is #1.  That's the best thing I can do for both of them.  Put God first and He will take care of the rest.
7. At least once a week, I will cuddle up in bed with you and we will nap to our heart's content.  It's good for our souls.  And because Mamas get tired, too.
8. I will listen.  
9. We will explore life.  We will not be prisoners in our home.  We will go on great adventures, even if it's just a picnic in the front yard.  Explorers are we!
10. God and love will always come first.  Always.  And forever.  From God and love will come every skill you need to survive in life.  Including discipline.  There's room for that, too, as long as we do it lovingly.

Long story short; it's all a dream come true.  And we wouldn't have it any other way.  Look at this face.  How could I NOT spend 24 hours a day with her?!

And in the interest of full disclosure, I will let you know that it is currently 12:30 p.m. and we are all still in our pj's.  Breakfast has not been cleaned up and the second I hit "publish", I will make Bunny's lunch, but I have no clue what that lunch is going to be.  Ahhhhhhhhh, this life.  So divine!