Parenting

As I'm sitting here with my daughter kicking me and moving all over inside me.... I'm reading my facebook and I see a status this proud momma posted about how her two kids got birthday cards in the mail, her son opens it up and sees money..he then asks her 'Mom can I donate this money to kids with cancer, because I know that is way more important then any toy I want'. I stopped dead in my tracks to really think about what kind of mother she must be...we don't really know each other. I see her statuses on my newsfeed as Im sure she sees mine. But I don't really KNOW her...but her status really got me thinking. She must be one amazing mother to raise such amazing children. Then it gets me thinking, I want that for Alyssa. I want to be an amazing mother, someone that she looks up to. I want the very best for her. You ever meet a child, and your just sitting there watching, not trying to be judgmental...but thinking WOAH I pray my kid never acts like that. If you haven't, well I guess Im a horrible person then. LOL. Because I do..everyone says its all about how to raise them. Which I believe, but I do also know you can do everything right and still have a rotten child. It makes me want to talk to those people with AMAZING children, and just ask 'what did you do differently from other parents'. My mom is my life, shes everything to me. I mean everything! I don't know what I would do without her, and please God don't let me find out for MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY years. I always go to her for advice on anything, esp parenting. I hope and pray I can be HALF the mother she is. 

One thing that my Mom always tells me is that you have to respect your husband, and your children. If you don't respect the people living in your household your children are going to pick up on that. And they won't respect you. Well one thing that really worries me. If you actually really know Justin & I...you know our relationship. You know how in love we are, but you also know how 'mean' we are to each other. We LOVE to joke around, all day every day. He calls me fat daily, I tell him hes too skinny. He makes fun of me for things, I make fun of him...its just how we are. And of course we do it with smiles on our faces and lots of love. He tells me 'go get me a dr pepper. now' so I tell him 'say please?' and he says 'go get me a dr pepper please. NOW'. Its all fun in games...but now that Alyssa is coming I worry she will pick up on those jokes and not realize we are kidding? Do we need to change who we are to be better parents for her? I know that she will know we love each other more then anything. We don't fight often **knock on wood haha** Although I know when we do we will either A) not be able to do it around her or B) change up the way we fight haha. I don't want her to think marriage is perfect, because its notttt. I want her to know its normal to fight, but I also don't ever want her to see us disrespecting each other. 

There is soo much to being a parent.  I know I will lose my temper, she will drive me nuts, I'll wanna sell her to the zoo (maybe haha), there will be nights I will be crying because she won't sleep, or stop crying. Over the years she will test her limits and be bad, because thats what children do. I just hope & pray I am never the mother that I have seen others be. Is that being judgmental? Im not really sure. I like to think of it is as learning from other peoples mistakes, as I hope people learn from mine -because there will be plenty of mistakes. I swear, I used to think when it came time for me to finally be a mom I would want to hold her 24/7, let her get away with things because shes too cute. But over time, Ive learned that I just can't do that. How I raise her from day one is going to set up the rest of her life. Which Im not going to lie, is a tad be scary. Kids will do as much as you let them get away with. I don't want to be mean mommy, but I know I will have to be in order to be a great mother. I think people take the things I say too personal though, like I can look at someone and say, I don't want to be a mom like her AT ALL. Doesn't mean I hate her as a person, just means I don't want to follow in her footsteps of parenting. Theres nothing wrong with that. LOL. I can think your crazy, and you can think Im crazy:) I have friends who are all about being natural with everything...I think they are crazy...and they think Im crazy:) haha. Everyone parents differently. Like Jena, wants 5 kids..I think shes NUTS haha. She thinks Im nuts for only wanting 2..thats life:) 

I have to say, Im SUPER glad I got a dog though. Bella has been my test tool:P I didn't realize it when I got her, but she really has been. Shes the PRIME example of dogs/kids will do whatever you allow them to get away with. When I first got her I had her trained not to get on the couches or on the bed. Over time I changed that because I wanted to cuddle with her. I still don't mind that she does it. and Im glad I let her on them..I wouldn't change that. I am a little worried about her getting excited and jumping on the couch when Alyssa is laying there...but its going to take time. I started a horrible habit of feeding her people food..ahhh why! LOL. Actually -Justin started it. And I finished it, haha. Now she begs horribly, I could totally break that...but whatever shes only gonna live a few years she might as well get some good food of the deal:P But the worst habit is that she loves wrappers, and anytime I finish anything she wants to lick it clean. Before I didn't really mind it, but now I HATE it because she knows if I lay it down, its hers. So she takes them off my night stand and licks them to death, then Im picking up wrappers every where haha. I wish I could train her to throw them in the trash when shes done haha. Other then that, shes a really good dog. Shes still a baby so she gets VERY hyper whenever ANYONE comes over. She acts like she gets no love at home....as shes laying next to me while I type this. Dont let her fool you, shes spoiled:P Im just so glad I got to make mistakes with my dog, and see how it one time can effect the future, now I know not to do that with Alyssa! :)