6 Months Old!

I really cannot believe it!

I cannot believe that Lily Baker is 6 months old. Seriously, where did the time go?

It seems like just yesterday that I was on maternity leave and would curl up with Lily in my arms and take naps with her. She's still a snuggle bunny, but is so much bigger than she was. I don't know how much she weighs now, but I can tell you this. Sunday she started wearing the same size diaper as Ann Catherine and they are 18 months apart :)

She also did something else Sunday. She ate baby food for the first time. And she LOVED it!!

We tried carrots first for both of our girls. Ann Catherine hated them. In fact, I was so upset because she wouldn't eat them and I was afraid it meant she didn't like baby food. Then, we tried sweet potatoes next and she loved those! And to this day, Ann Catherine still won't eat cooked carrots.

Lily is a different story. She can't get enough! We gave her a small bowl full the first time and we had to get her more.

I'm posting some pictures from Lily's first "dinner." When you see all the carrots on her face, you wonder how she got any in her mouth!

Happy Mother's Day!

What a great day!

It has been a wonderful Mother's Day so far. I actually got my gifts from Lily and Ann Catherine on Friday. Lily made me a sweet, framed poem with her little hand prints at the bottom. Ann Catherine also gave me a card with a sweet poem about being a mom, with her hand prints on the front. She also made me a ceramic ornament with her hand print on it. I will cherish those gifts as long as I live.

Chris gave me a gift card to a local spa, which I couldn't be happier about! I have been dreaming of getting a massage for some time now, so I can't wait to get that.

But you know what? My best Mother's Day gift didn't come from Chris. It came from God, when he chose me to be the mother of three such amazing little girls: Melissa, Ann Catherine and Lily.

Lily, who honestly just lights up the room and melts my heart with her smile. Ann Catherine, who started the world at such a disadvantage and literally saved her mother's life by refusing to give up during those 68 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. And Melissa who, after I had complications, hung on against the odds inside her mommy's tummy for seven more weeks, thereby giving Ann Catherine a chance to live.

I can't express the words I feel for my daughters. Today I asked Ann Catherine, "Do you know how much your mommy loves you?" and she answered "No." I said, "You're right and you never will truly know, because I can't even put it into words."

I had some rough moments today, thinking of Melissa and missing her so much on this special day. Church was particularly hard. After church we went to Publix, and when I got Ann Catherine out of her car seat, she put her arms around my neck and her head on my shoulder, and just hugged me. I felt it was God's way of sending me a hug from Melissa on this Mother's Day. It was her way of telling me, "I'm okay, Mommy. And I love you."

When I pray, I often ask God to let Melissa know she has a mother on Earth who loves her so very much. I believe she does know that.

Especially today.

Only a Mother Can Know

It's amazing what you think about in the middle of the night as you're consoling a crying child.

Ann Catherine has a bit of a cold and last night, she woke herself up coughing. When she wakes up like that in the middle of night, she becomes very upset because she's so tired. And when that happens, she just cries, saying over and over, "Mommy, mommy, mommy."

I went to her room, put my arms around her and just kept saying, "Mommy's here, mommy's here. It's okay, Ann Catherine."

At that moment, I was so sleepy and was thinking, "Baby, please go back to sleep. Mommy's tired."

And then it occurred to me.

As hard as those middle of the night "breakdowns" are, we as mothers are so lucky. Who do our children call for when they are upset?

Mommy.

Who do they call for when they are sick?

Mommy.

Who do they call for when they are scared?

Mommy.

Do you know what a gift that is?

As I stood there, rubbing her back last night, I realized that this is a gift given exclusively to mothers.

It means that there is someone in this world, who truly NEEDS us. Who DEPENDS on us. Who thinks we can make EVERYTHING better.

Being a mom is so tiring. In fact, it's downright exhausting. Right now, having two children under the age of two, I wonder sometimes 'Will I EVER get a full night's rest again?'

But what I get in return is so worth it. There are two little people in this world who are completely unaware of all of my many faults. Completely unaware how woefully inadequate I really am. Completely unaware that I have so many limitations.

I am just Mommy to them. In their eyes, I can do anything.

What a beautiful reminder just in time for Mother's Day.

It makes all those nights without sleep worth it.

Classic Crazy!

That's what I'm calling this week at work.

The Huntsville Classic Dinner and Golf Tournament is this weekend and it's the Huntsville Hospital Foundation's biggest fundraiser of the year. Things are pretty crazy at the office! The proceeds from this year's event will raise money to buy five pieces of cutting-edge medical equipment. KC & the Sunshine Band will play at the dinner Friday night at the VBC South Hall. Should be a lot of fun!! Tickets are still available. Just call the Foundation office at 265-8077. Then stop by Friday night to "Do a Little Dance...Get Down Tonight!"

After that, the Foundation's next big event is Swim for Melissa. Even though it's not until August, we're already working on it! I'll disclose details soon. In the meantime, be thinking of any children you know who are 5-14 and would like to form a team of eight to swim. The swim event is Saturday, August 11 at the Hampton Cove pool from 9am-12pm. It's not a competitive swim. Kids can swim one lap or 20. We just want them to get donations and then show up and have fun! We're are working now to sign up our teams. If you are interested, email me at amy.george@hhsys.org or call the Foundation at the number above. ALL proceeds will go to the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund to buy life-saving equipment for the Neonatal ICU.

Speaking of the fund, we don't have any final numbers yet, but it looks like the fashion show that the duMidi Women's Club held last week will raise about $6000 for Melissa's Fund! As soon as I get a final number, I'll pass it on. The duMidis have always been so supportive of Melissa's Fund. They helped with last year's Swim for Melissa and Spirit of Hope tree lighting. I am so grateful to them for all of their help! And remember the Huntsville Quarter Midget Racing Association I told you about in an earlier post? The charity race raised $1175 for Melissa's Fund. Thanks to Terry Maples and everyone involved!

We are getting ready to make another purchase for the NICU! Stay tuned!!

The Doctor was Right

One of Ann Catherine's doctors once told me that the average child gets 3-6 colds a year. The average child in daycare gets 12-15.

I believe him.

Lily has ANOTHER cold.

It's her 3rd one since February. That's when she started daycare. That's not saying anything bad about her daycare. In fact, I love her daycare. It's like that with any daycare.

When you have that many children together, it's hard to keep them from passing things around.

Take Ann Catherine for instance. She stayed home with my mom for the first 14 months of her life and wasn't sick one time. That's pretty amazing. Not a single sick visit to the doctor for the first year of her life. Once she started daycare, she got an ear infection each month and eventually had tubes put in her ear.

It's yet one more dilemma working moms must face. In fact, I've talked to mothers who worked outside the home and then quit, simply because their child was staying sick and they were having to call in sick to work too much. They felt they were actually losing money because their child was sick all of the time.

I'm fortunate that my mom is here and can step in and keep my kids when they are sick. In fact, she kept Lily today and I didn't have to miss work, which was great because I had an important meeting.

But not all moms have that option. It's one more reason why the decision to work or stay home isn't black or white.

Lily's Baptism

Sunday was a wonderful day for the George family.

Lily was baptized.

She was so good. She was so sweet in her little Christening gown. In fact, she and Ann Catherine had matching dresses - both gifts from a friend when Lily was born. I wasn't sure how Ann Catherine would react when the minister sprinkled water on Lily, but she didn't make a sound. I think she was too mesmerized to do anything but stare.

Special occasions are still bittersweet for us. They are reminders that someone is missing. I felt Melissa so deeply Sunday. It's hard to explain. She is with me everyday, but there are times where I just feel her so deeply and I know she is with me. Sunday was one of those days. As we sang in church, after Lily was baptized, I thought about my angel and I am convinced that she was watching Lily's baptism from Heaven. She knew something special was going on with her family. She is always with us.

I feel so fortunate to feel her presence. I thank God that I will see my sweet angel again.

And I thank God for giving us Lily. Her baptism reminded me of just how blessed we are to have her in our lives. What would we do without her?

Mommy Guilt

I was eating a bowl of cereal this morning when my eyes focused on those words in a headline in The Huntsville Times.

The article was about an interesting study that says moms today are actually spending MORE time with their kids than moms in the '60s did, when the majority of moms stayed home. I thought that was so interesting because more and more moms work outside the home these days. But, despite the findings, half of the moms interviewed didn't feel they spent enough time with their children.

What mother doesn't have guilt? And from what my friends with older children tell me, it doesn't really get better as they get older.

I'll admit I have some "mommy guilt" from time to time. I question if I short-change my kids by working outside the home. I question if staying home with me would be better for them than going to daycare.

The answer for me is, no.

That's not the answer for everyone. And when it comes to the issue of staying home or working outside the home, there is no right or wrong answer. I get very angry at mothers who feel their way is the right way. Every situation is different. It's a personal decision that each mother should make.

But here's why working outside the home is the best decision for me.

I get so much pleasure from my job. I love coming to work and tackling my assignments here at the Foundation each day. I love doing a job where I KNOW I'm making a difference. And this job allows me to be home in the evenings. One of the reasons why I left WHNT was because I wanted to be home at night with my kids - and I wanted to be home at a decent hour.

I also enjoy being with adults. I enjoy the laughs I share with the girls in the office over lunch and the help we give each other when working on projects.

I think I'm a better mom because I work outside the home. Now, some of you may be critical of that statement, but let me explain.

When I get home, my children have my undivided attention. I don't talk on the phone to people. I don't get on my laptop and check email or the internet. We eat dinner as a family and then Chris and I take the girls in the backyard and let them play or we go for a stroll. Then we give them their baths, read them books and put them to bed. After that is all said and done, we have our time. That's when I can hop on the computer and do stuff or watch TV. But until my kids go to bed, they have 100% of their mommy.

When I was home on maternity leave and home all day with Lily and Ann Catherine, it was all too easy to pop a video in for her to watch. Yes, we did read books together and spend time together, but after eight hours of feeding, changing diapers and watching Elmo, mommy needed a break and getting her to sit in front of the TV and watch a video was an easy way to get one. Is that quality time with your child? I don't think so. But more and more parents have started using videos as babysitters.

At daycare, she is stimulated everyday. They have music and motor skills classes. She's learning to share with other children. They read books. She does artwork and brings something home 2-3 times a day. Would I do all of those things with her if I was home with her everyday? Probably not.

All women - those who work outside the home and those who choose to stay home with their children - will probably always have some "mommy guilt." We'll probably never feel we are doing enough.

The important thing is that you do what is right for YOUR family and YOUR child. And don't let anyone else make you feel guilty for making that choice.

I couldn't find The Huntsville Times article on the internet, but I did find another one about this particular study in The Birmingham News. Click here to read it and let me know what you think.