Okay, about the job...

So as most of you know I work for a quite large University Medical facility....or a large teaching hospital..however you want to look at it...anyway, I've slowly begun to loathe my current position b/c of a LOT of extra work with no extra pay...so I started looking at positions I could transfer too...and I found a job as a "Practice Operations Specialist" with the children's portion of this very large teaching hospital...and I'm super excited...for one I'm over all the audting of the outpatient clinics, and for 2 it's with the children's hospital, which is AWESOME...and it's a significant pay increase!

I got it!!!

I got the job, yes the "dream" job that I interviewed for in June....I start September 28!! Can't WAIT!!

I've been such a bad blogger lately!! I've been SUPER busy at work and I kinda got fussed at for my internet time and when I'm home D is main priority...I'm lucky to get my email checked! Things are going GREAT here and I have no complaints at all. I did go back for another interview for that job I interviewed for a couple of months ago...so I'm keeping my fingers crossed....Dawson is growing like a weed. At his 6 month appt he was 19.6, then he was sick for that week with the tummy issues and dropped to 19.4, but today I weighed him and he was 20.8...so he's definitely growing up! Oh and he got a new toy!! check it out!

Finding myself...

Devin wrote something that inspired me...so I'm going to take on the task of finding Mandie again. 17 months ago, I became "mommy"...and being Mandie has suffered. I am now mommy, employee, wife, chauffeur, cook, personal assistant, appointment maker, money payer, etc.

But somewhere in all of that, Mandie has to fit too. I have to seperate myself from all of those other titles and remember that I am still a person, and that I still have wants and needs too. I am not just someone' s mom or wife or employee...I am still a woman and I still have things that I want to accomplish. Places I want to go. Things I want to do. and emotions I want to feel. I'd be lying if I said since D was born, well actually, since I was pregnant, that my sex life has flourished. B/C it hasn't. It's been rough, and a chore, and not one I enjoy. I have to find my passion and my sexuality again. My marriage is great, minus this one HUGE issue..and I can fix this, and I'm going to!

Car seats...

I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, everyone is entitled to their own choices..but I have a soap box I need to stand on, and I'm going to. I have an 8 month old. He weighs 20lbs, and until he's reached 35lbs (or the height limit) he WILL stay rear facing in the car...in EVERY car...with EVERY person he ever rides with...PERIOD. The AAP reccomends that children stay rear facing as long as possible...and research backs this. Their is no denying research, their is no denying facts, their is no denying that extended rear facing is the safest way for a child to ride in the car...Even the AAP is jumping on board and saying 2 years of age is the EARLIEST a child should be turned around, but hold out as long as possible...

Okay, so most people know these facts, but if I have gone out of my way to show you the research, and I've preached it to you several times, why would you turn your TINY 15 month old around? You are my friend, I care more than you know about the safety of your baby, but yet, this one tiny thing that you could do that could literally save your child's life, and you ignore me on it.

Yes it's every parent's choice, but I just can't fathom this one.

What we've learned....

I say "we" b/c Dawson is an extension of me, and when he learns, I learn. When he's happy, I'm happy. When he's upset, I'm upset. So in wrap up, Dawson is a part of me, and I'll never be an "I" again. Everything I do affects us, everything I decide affects us, every decision I make, affects us.

So the things that Dawson has accomplished since he was born....he can roll, EVERYWHERE... He can crawl all over the place and he's quick! He can pull up, and he does it all the time. He can smile like it's no one's business. He can "talk" baby language, but it's still talking. He can eat anything that I'm eating, as long as it's mushy!

Things I have learned from being his mom for 7.5 months...My heart is officially on the outside, and every time I look at him, it swells with more love. Emotions are more than happy and sad...there is an indescribable feeling that a mom has for her child.."Love" doesn't do it. This feeling surpasses love...by far. Some things just don't matter anymore. My husband is the greatest man on earth b/c he helped make my precious little guy. Time really does FLY by. Something as "small" as crawling makes my year. I can honestly say that I'd die for someone, and not even think about it. I'd give D the heart out of my chest if it meant he'd live for 100 years. My son, is the most precious gift God could have given me.

This isn't even half of what "we" have learned these past few months...but it's a start.