Potatoes for Christmas

Teachers in some "fancy" districts get showered with presents at Christmastime from their adoring students. In the district I work for...not so much. The only "gift" I left work with was a sack of potatoes.

Literally.

Not sure why, but every teacher got a sack of potatoes.

It's easy to get caught up in all of the Christmas THINGS - what you're giving, what you're getting, what you're going to eat and wear....

This Christmas I was blessed to spend it with my very own little "sack of potatoes."

After giving birth to my own child this year, the story of Christ's birth touched me in new ways this year as well. Being humbled by this amazing miracle, as well as my own little Abby miracle, and the gift of being surrounded by loving family and friends this year....priceless.

Merry Merry,

Stacey

A Mother's Prayer

I L.O.V.E. Tina Fey. I happened to read her book Bossypants this summer in my private moments pumping (Sorry if that's TMI) (I highly recommend pumping for that reason - someone else attend to this child while I handle my business/breathe for a moment!!)

At the end of the book is Tina's prayer for her daughter. It's amazingly perfect and wonderful. I was reminded of it the other day and thought I'd share it. It makes me want to give a big squeeze to my Abby AND my amazing mother!

A Mother's Prayer for Her Daughter

By: Tina Fey

"First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it's the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach's eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half and stick with beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called "Hell Drop," "Tower of Torture," or "The Death Spiral Rock 'N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith," and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes. And not have to wear hight heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I'm asking You, because if I knew, I'd be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short - a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day - And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. "My mother did this for me once," she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby's neck. "My mother did this for me." And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I'll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen."

- Tina Fey

Go hug your mom,

Stacey

Oh, wait...I blog?

Whoops, I kinda forgot I had a blog! Embarrassingly enough, my last post was exactly 4 months ago today! There were several times since then that I sat down to add a post about my adorably amazing baby girl, something hilarious and heartwarming that happened at school, or something chic or exciting that Jared and I had planned (ha!), but...well....I probably chose to kiss Abby's chubby belly, work on a lesson plan, or snuggle up to that sweet husband of mine. Forgive me?

The past 4 months have been AMAZING. TIRING. HILARIOUS. HARD. WONDERFUL.

In a nutshell, my little munchkin has been a growing, healthy girl! To date, she's learned to roll over both ways, she's sitting up all by herself, she's making lots of fun noises, she's smiling, laughing, reaching, mouthing everything in sight, and she's up on all fours ready to make a move! She LOVES her baths, she thinks our dogs are the most hilarious things, and she refuses to sleep through the night. :) She's in the 90th percentile for height, which is kind of hilarious given her parents.

I'm back at the teaching gig, changing the lives of blind children one day at a time. :) Adjusting to life as a working mom has been easier than I thought. Seeing Abby having so much fun with my parents makes it even that much easier! The kids at school are just as hilarious and insightful as last year, making the days go by quickly and incredibly rewarding.

As for the hubs, our "chic and exciting" adventures have consisted of a few wild nights out that deemed themselves really not worth it at 3:00 am the next morning with a crying babe...and our most wonderful times are spent snuggling on the couch after the Abbster's bedtime and laughing together and smiling in awe of our precious gift.

Well, that about sums it up.

Good to be back.

Stacey