Ready for the Exam

I've been a mother now for 10 weeks. And I feel as if I'm ready for "the exam".

You know, the one that you take at the 10 week mark to see how good of a job you are doing. The one that tells you that your child is growing quite nicely, that your methods of putting them to sleep are above par, that giving them a pacifier won't harm them in the long run, yada yada yada.

Taking your child to the pediatrician isn't always a huge encouragement [cough], so I can't rely on that method. People who see your baby say that he's a pleasant fellow and so sweet and so pretty. But, they don't know him and don't see him 24/7, so I feel like I can't totally rely on them either.

It's not that I'm wanting a pat on the back and a "job well done" - I really would love an honest evaluation of how I'm functioning as a mother. Am I on the right track to raising a healthy, loving little boy, or am I doing something that's going to screw him over for the rest of this life?

[sigh]

And that's why I say I'm ready for an exam that tells me whether or not I'm fit/capable of doing this job. I feel like I am ... but an exam always tells all. :)

Needless to say, here are some recent pictures of my Bennett.

Sucking on his teether-thingy. He doesn't really use it. His arms aren't really strong enough to hold it and bring it to his mouth. He would much rather prefer to bring a blanket into his mouth and suck on that.

Getting a bath with Daddy. We are making progress in the wailing factor in this department. B will cry, cry, cry at first, and then settles himself into at least partially looking like a bath could be fun at some point in his life. No giggles yet in this area. :)

Bennett's favorite spot - slung over Mommy's shoulder, with his arm draped over mine.

Bennett and I tagged along with the Lower School last Tuesday and headed out to Hawaiian Falls for the day. Bennett stayed very sheltered from the sun and was sweet enough to let strangers hold him and get him to fall asleep so I could go down some water slides! So fun to get out of the house for the day and do something out of the ordinary. Next year will be even more fun to take Bennett along - my sweet little baby splashing in the kiddie pools - I can't wait.


Is it just me or does he look like a boy here?!?!? I mean, not a baby, but a little boy. I'm not ready for that just yet.
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Our good friends, Philip and Krista Miller moved away from Dallas last week. [cue weeping and wailing] They graduated from DTS and Philip got a job as an associate pastor at a church outside Chicago. We helped them do some packing and they stayed their last night in Dallas with us. [more weeping and wailing]

However, as they prepared their house to sell this spring, they do a complete overhaul of their landscaping and came up with an extra dwarf magnolia tree. So, they gave it to us.

The other night the guys planted it in our backyard and it's already blooming!!! I'm so excited to have it and it smells so good!!! Even though I'm very sad that the Millers have moved away, I am glad to look out in my backyard and see that magnolia tree from them.