Abby turns 10!!

Today is my daughter Abby's 10th birthday! It is also marks quite a bit of "firsts" in our family. August 12th, 1998 was the day I became a mother and my mother became a Grandmother and my Grandmother became Great!

I can't believe that it has been 10 years, and looking back I absolutely believe how much I have grown up. The things that I thought would be important details to raising children, really have not been that big of a deal.
When I was pregnant with little Abigail Rose, I spent a lot of time at my Uncle Dave and Aunt Sue's house. I must remark here how patient my Aunt was and I am sure that somewhere in her head she was rolling her eyes (being a mom of four) at my declarations of what I would and would not do with my child. One of these moments distinctly sticks out in my mind. I was talking with my Aunt and telling her how I thought pacifiers were so unattractive in babies and that I would never use one. Now fast forward to me with a baby that nursed so voraciously, I had dreams I gave birth to a barracuda. I merely glanced at the pacifier and before I knew I what I was doing it was in Abby's mouth. Well, that is mostly true. I did know what I was doing - I was crying and pleading for her to accept this substitution because I just couldn't take much more. I should tell you that I wasn't even out of the hospital yet and already my earlier conviction that I so confidently declared to my Aunt Sue, flew right out the window. This was only the first of many.

I remember when my sister was pregnant with Gloria. She was much wiser with her words. I do not recall her making bold statements such as "I will never use baby talk as a way to communicate with my child" or "Only organic, sugar free food will touch my baby's lips". I would like to think I gave her that wisdom, but I suspect that it's all her.

Now I am a mother of five, like my own Mom. I understand so much more now. I used to wonder why my Mom could never keep the laundry under control, I mean come on, what did she do with her time? Her nails? Finishing up that novel? Now I know that she had no time, not to her self anyway. I have a pretty good picture of exactly what she was doing. Sometimes when I visit home I wait for her to go to the washroom, then I bang on the door and yell Mom repeatedly in a whiny voice. I think it keeps her young. As it turns out, it keeps her annoyed.

Presently, I am the proud owner of my own huge pile of laundry and for the life of me I can't figure out why Mom doesn't come over and help me with it. I should have never let her teach me how.