Monday, March 28, 2011

It's the little things

Sometimes the little things in life are what get you through.

I have been super stressed out lately because of all the work I have piling up each week in my classes. I never seem to be able to get ahead, and honestly I never seem to care when I am not ahead because I would rather just be a mom and not a student-mom or as I like to think of myself mom-student.

Recently I was running errands with my son and mother in law. We stopped for dinner at California Pizza Kitchen (yum!). I'm sure anyone who has children, knows children, or has eaten in a restaurant with a child present knows it is hit or miss. Danny being under the age of one I never know if he is going to sit nicely and eat his food, or if he will be throwing the food on the floor, at my, at the server. This particular day he was being a little sweetheart, not giving me any trouble at all. There was a woman with her pre-teen daughter sitting at the table behind mine. The couple kept smiling at Danny, telling him cute he was, and giving him tons of attention. I find it so be very sweet when people do this because my son is always smiling and laughing at strangers when we're out in public. I love it when he gets some attention back. The mother and daughter duo were on their way out and decided to stop at our table. The mother told me how much she enjoyed watching us with Danny because it reminded her of when she took her "baby" (her 21 year old son) out to eat and how much fun she had. She handed me an envelope and said "I wanted to give this to you for being such a good mom. God bless you and your son". I was felt so shocked by this because you never hear of people doing things like this for strangers. When I opened the envelope there was a $50 gift certificate to CPK. Which paid for our dinner completely. What a kind gesture from a stranger! It really allowed all of my worries and stresses to melt away for just a little while, I felt so happy that someone wanted to do something nice for us "just because".

It really is the little things that count, that can make your day, and take away your worries.

Thank you to the sweet mom and her lovely daughter, you made my day, and you gave me a lovely story to write in my sons baby book.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Rules

Visiting a new baby rules:

1. Don't refer to another womans baby as "my baby" it doesn't matter if you are the grandma, aunt, cousin, best friend. New moms are very sensitive and even more protective of their little ones and don't want to hear anyone calling the little bundle of joy "mine".

2. Call first! Never show up without giving the new mom fair warning. Always ask if you can come over, don't tell them you are coming.

3. Keep the visits short. Most new parents are excited to introduce their baby to friends and family, but visits can be tiresome for mommy, daddy, and baby. Stay just long enough to hear how everything with the delivery went, hold the baby, and congratulate the new parents.

4. If you are there to "help" remember, holding the baby is NOT helping (unless of course the new mom asks you to). Helping is making a meal, tidying up the house, folding laundry, and running errands. New parents will want to bond with their new baby and wont want to pass him or her around all day.

5. Don't overload the new mom and dad with advice. The time will certainly come when mom and dad need help, but they will ask for it. There is nothing more frustrating to new parents then the never ending stream of advice they get from their friends and family.

6. Enjoy the new addition to your family or circle of friends! There is nothing more precious then a child, and this baby is lucky to have you to care so much about him or her!