You Know You're a Mom When.....

It's my second Mother's Day and have I learned a lot since last year......Last Mother's Day I was two months into Motherhood still in the "honeymoon" phase.  Not this year! :) 

First, I want to thank my Mom for the INFINITE amount of patience she had for me and my sister when we were kids.  Also, for her guidance and support.  Mom, I'm sorry I drove you crazy as a kid but be comforted with the fact that I'm soooo getting my payback now.   Which is exactly what she told me would happen when I had kids.  I think this may be part of the reason my sister avoids any conversation of ever having kids because she knows what her payback will look like....hee hee hee! :)

Here are some examples of what I put my Mom through when I was around the age as my kids:

When I was in 1st grade and the school would call her EVERYDAY because EVERYDAY I would go to the office with a stomach ache.....I didn't have stomach aches everyday, I was just jealous that my Mom was at home with my baby sister and I was stuck in school.  She would come to school everyday and bring me lunch and sit with me until one day she decided enough was enough and when they called her about my stomach ache she told them to let me stay in the office.  :(

Or how about the time I almost burnt the house down because it was a cold NY winter night and I thought it would be a good idea to warm up my PJs on the heater (PJs in the 70s were not as fire retardant as today's)....ooopphhh...I remember that spanking!! 

Or maybe the time I almost ate dog poop.......we had a little chihuahua (her name was Cindy) and she would poop perfect little round Milk Dud looking poop.  I had them in my hand one day and my Mom swooped in and smacked them right out of my hand.  Thank God!!!

Ok.  Now you know way too much, let's move on to what I face as my daily payback with my children.  Here is my list of  "You Know You're a Mom When".....

You Know You're a Mom When.....

- The saying, "I always have to wipe someone's butt" is now your reality.....

- The cute handbags you used to carry have now been replaced by some Mary Poppins type looking bag.  Mine has food, drinks, toys, underwear (my kid's not mine),band aids, tissues full of boogers and I think there may even be a small family of ferrets living in there...  :)

- My monthly shoe buying therapy trips consisted of cute open toe heels, now it's light up sneakers with Velcro.....

- You can't go to the bathroom without someone asking, "What are you doing, Mom?  Can I see?"....ugh!

- You use your shirt sleeve to wipe someone's nose.  Or if there is something crusty on their face you put some spit on your finger and wipe it off. 

- You become the family "pack mule".  I can carry lunchboxes, backpacks, homework, my Mary Poppins size handbag and my work bag along with the garbage out in the morning....

- When you get to work, you feel like you have already worked a full day.

- You shower with an audience.....my two Lil clowns like to look through the glass shower door while pointing and giggling.  Quite a self esteem boost that is..... :-/

- You can make breakfast, lunch and dinner before 8am.

- This one might be boy specific....You have to deal with their fascination of farts and poop.   Disgusting!  Just today Jordan wanted me to come to the bathroom because there was a  "brown snake" in the toilet.  Oh boy!!!

- You read them a book at night and skip sentences or pages.... I know this only works now, once they learn how to read I'm screwed!

- You do laundry and somewhere between the washer and dryer socks go missing.....how the heck does that happen????

And finally, "You know you're a Mom when......you're kids come up to you and tell you they love you unsolicited and sincere which in that instant makes all the world's craziness disappear!




This is my absolute favorite picture! Special thanks to our photographer Heidi at Blueberry Freckles Photography who added the perfect quote to the perfect photo! Love it!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!! God bless all the Moms, expectant Moms, Step Moms, Grand moms!!  


Gotcha Day- 1st Anniversary

It's hard to believe that a year ago today we were taking this picture at the Tikuret Orphanage, it was the last day the boys would spend there.....

Fast forward to 2/10/12- a year later.  It seems like it was so long ago and like it was yesterday all at the same time.  We have grown as parents in this last year and the kids, well they have just grown and they have changed so much from those two little guys we brought home. 

Holding the very first referral picture we recv'd of them in July 2010

We have good days and bad days (or combination platter days- mornings are BAD and it gets better as the day goes on).  My nickname is the Drill Sergeant because you will typically hear me saying something like, "Eat your breakfast..... Time to put on clothes....Did everyone go potty?....Shoes on!.... Brush Teeth!....Now, let's Go Go Go!!!!   Even Jordan now repeats, "Go Go Go"!!!

We have seen our boy's personalities develop and boy did I have them pegged wrong!  When we met them in ET I made the following conclusions; Jayson was going to be the stubborn one, the joker, the one that would be disciplined a lot.  Jordan was going to be the shy, quiet, angelic one.....UMMMM  WRONG!!!

Jayson is my people pleaser, sensitive guy, the listener.  He's always saying, "Yes, Mommy.  OK, Mommy."  If he gets in trouble or disciplined he is hard on himself and typically starts to cry.   He is sensitive and in tune to others feelings and helps his little bro although the majority of the time that ends up in a shouting match on whether Jordan is a "baby" or not.....Because according to Jordan, "He NOT a baby, Jayson!" :) 

 

Then there's Jordan, oh my Jordan.  Maybe my nickname for him "The Devil Wears Carters" gives you an idea of what he is like?  Jordan is stubborn, thinks he can do everything by himself, is sneaky and mischievous (you should hear his laugh), reminds me of Tigger- the kid bounces everywhere he goes and will tell you that he is not doing something to your face with a smile.  He is a hot mess most of the time (totally takes after Jim) ;)  But he is also quite the little love bug, he will work his way into your heart with a ton of hugs and kisses...





These two little boys have been the biggest blessing that we could have ever hoped for, never in a million years did I imagine the joy and love that they bring us and our families.  And as we look ahead to many more years of happiness, struggles and whatever life throws our way we thank their birth mother for the gift of life, their birth country which welcomed us with open arms and God for bringing us together and making all things possible. 

Happy 1st Gotcha-versary Jayson, Jordan and Jim!   Love, Mommy

And Happy 16th Wedding Anniversary, Jim!  So much to celebrate in February!!