My dear Delaney is getting ready to walk.  I can't believe it, last year at this time I was getting ready to have her and just one year, 365 days later, my sweet baby girl is attempting this walking thing.  Tonight, Delaney and I went to the park and walked the trails on her push along bike. After that we went to the dollar store to buy some random things, we probably didn't need, but when you find something your child really likes, don't you just want to buy them every form of that toy? So we bought two new balls and played catch in the cart, it was fun, I love her ear piercing excited squeals in a store with lots of other people around.  I used to cringe at this idea, but less and less things seem to make me nervous anymore.  So anyways, after our beautiful walk in the park and the ever popular dollar tree, mommy decided it was time for a little Dairy Queen, so Delaney and I stopped and I hopped in the back seat and she had just a bit of plain vanilla and I enjoyed a butterfinger blizzard.  But I realized that I liked hers better.  I definitely think simpler is better.  In every aspect of the phrase.  So I'm going to try to keep more things simple.  Bam, just like that.


I think I have like 12 days of school left, or something like that.  I go day by day, can you tell.  Some teachers start the countdown after Christmas break is over.  But I'm not a person who thinks that far ahead, I'm very happy with being ready for the next hour and maybe even tomorrow.
 
My words of wisdom for today come from Oprah, it was hard to say goodbye to her today and throughout this past season, and sadly, I haven't even been able to finish that last episode, but its on my DVR so that counts for something right.  Anyways, back to the words, You are in charge of your life.  I love this.  Whatever you want to make possible, you can.  It just takes the work part, the hard work and time and dedication.  I'm going to pass this on to my Delaney and encourage her to follow her dreams and that I will always be right here for her no matter what she decides.  I will support her, nurture her, encourage her, trust in her, be there for her, and be all that she needs at all of the different times in her life.  I'm so glad I get to do this, but I'm in charge of my own life, and I choose these things. 

Working mothers

I am not going to lie, I am very jealous of those mothers who get to stay at home with their child each day and see every development as it comes.  I am a teacher, so I do not have long, grueling hours.  I don't travel for my job, and I have many holiday vacations and summers off.  So honestly, I don't feel that I should be complaining, but its hard to be away from my daughter.  Sometimes it feels like I am stretched in a million different places and I'm doing a lot of things at a half percentage rate.  I'm sure there are so many mothers that can relate to what I'm saying

I will however say that finding trusted, dedicated, and good childcare is not easy.  I am so happy to say that I am with someone who I couldn't feel safer, happier, or better about leaving my dear daughter with.  I love everything about Delaney's daycare.  She gets such positive interaction with her provider as well as her playmates at daycare, I couldn't be happier.

Today though, I got to be one of those stay at home mommies.  My husband and I were both hit hard by the terrible awful, no good very bad stomach flu on Friday night.  I was just arriving at my third to last masters course about an hour away from home when it seemingly hit me.  At first, I thought I was just nervous about leaving Delaney, getting to class on time, not spending the weekend with my family, having to sit in class all weekend, the list goes on. So I decided to go and get Chic-fil-a.  Hmmm, not a very good choice, needless to say I will never eat it again after what I'm about to say.  About 20 mins after eating it, I was sick.  Sick sick.  Not just the I have a cold sick, but I had to run out of the class I was at in a hotel, where 25 prom goers were meeting in the lobby, and throw up in the bathroom.  Yuck.  It was terrible.  So I thought I would be okay after the first incident.  Nope.  It happened again.  This time worse.  Plus two women from my class came in the small two person stall and probably wondered what in the world was going on in there.  It was awful.  I left and I have been avoiding the call to the college about dropping the course I was too sick to show up for the rest of the weekend.

So not only were my husband and I sick with the stomach flu taking care of a very fast crawling and mobile 11 month old, but now I'm a class behind in the program, and I'm praying that I don't have to pay the 1000 dollars for the course since I didn't complete it with a B or better, as my school district requires. 

So, back to the stay at home mommy part, I took today off because almost every child or their parent were struck by this awful stomach flu.  So Delaney and I stayed home, but since both of us are feeling better, we went to the playground and went shopping for some boring household stuff.  But still much needed.

And on one of the happiest notes of my life, my dear daughter, my Delaney girl, 10 months, 4 weeks is saying........mom mom!  It was the best sound I have ever heard in my life.  Ever, by far.  She has been saying Dada for about a month now, and I think now she is associating the name to my husband.  But she is saying Mom mom.  I love it, it melts my heart, it makes me whole, it makes everything stressful or worrisome go away.  I love being her mother, I love how our lives have changed, I can't wait for summer... :)