Some Momma Love

Sooooooo.... we really did get the ice storm!  It is awful out!  Last night i woke up to the sound of ice falling off of the tree branches onto our windows.  Eeeek!  Call me a little girl, but it really freaked me out.  Little man had fallen asleep downstairs on the couch with me and after being awaken by ice i moved him and i a safe distance from the massive tree in our yard.    The low branches were (and still are) resting on our kitchen roof!  Come on warm weather, lol!  It really needed to be pruned before winter, but it just kept getting pushed back.  It really didn't seem that important of a task until last night.

I am at my momma's house now.  Shortly after i was married, my mother, father and little brother moved from the  city/suburb house my older brother and i grew up in to another house in the country.  Even though it is a different house i still feel so at home here :).  Nothing is better than the love of a momma.  Elli, Micah and I are camping out here tonight.  Call me crazy but it is a little hard to sleep knowing those low branches are hovering over my house.  My husband is guarding the castle and caring for the animals (we have 2 boxers).

 I have so many nice memories of my momma.  When i was really young i remember her sitting between my brother and i warding off any monsters as we fell asleep in our beds.  I remember her tucking me in at night with kisses, hugs and kind words.  I remember crying because i had embarrassed myself in front of my latest crush and she held me in her lap and told me she loved me.  When i was older she did the same thing after a particularly hideous hair cut.  We were not always the "best of friends".  There were endless feuds over cleaning my room, the hair and makeup issues.  Also there was a particularly grueling conversation on when i was old enough to shave and we were always up in arms over the length of my clothing.  When i turned 18 we were torn apart for a short period of time.  It was a real growth experience for both of us i think.  I learned to appreciate my mother and all of the sacrifices she made for me and she learned that she had managed to raise an independent and sometimes strong willed woman of principle.  I hope i can achieve something similar with my own daughter (minus some of the bumps along the way).
I love my momma.  I always knew she loved me.  I was always reluctant to leave her when i went to visit my Dad.  It wasn't really a reflection on him, i just always pictured her at home lonely and missing us.  Now that I am older i realize she was probably having the time of her life: eating ice cream with no one to share with, painting her nails ( and actually letting them dry before someone asked her to do something), watching whatever tv show her heart desired, getting some alone time with my other dad ;), and possibly even sleeping in on Saturdays.  In fact i mentioned once, to my mother in law, that i had these fears for my mom every time i left her.  She replied "your momma was having a good time while you were gone".  
I also really like my mother in law.  I just thought i'd throw that in since i was talking about mothers :).  She does a really awesome job of giving advice without being pushy.  She is one of those ladies that never forgets a birthday and always seems to have exactly the thing i need for the kids before i even ask.  Yes, God has definitely blessed me with a great 2nd momma.  The only complaint i have is that she made it extremely hard to cook for my husband.  He is used to some really great food, lol.  Hopefully my cooking will improve with my weekly recipe:)

Bedtime is a battle here( at my mom's), well even at home it is a battle, lol.  Elli is so wound up from ice cream (her dad said it was the cure for the common cold... did i mention elli has a cold), the excitement of a sleep over and all the fun she had playing with my little brother.  My brother (well half brother) is 7.  There are 19 years between us.  It is an interesting relationship that i will probably blog about later ;)  Anyhoo, back to bedtime.  Elli is a chronic staller.  "Momma i need a snack."  "Can we watch a movie?"  "Mommy, 2 books not 1 please."  "I need another drink please."  The Husband is much better at bedtime than I.  I would like to think that i am just kind hearted... i want elli to go to bed with sweet dreams, not lonely tears.  Really i think i might just be a push over, lol.  It is getting more and more difficult to be patient with the current bedtime routine now that the baby is here.  I want her to have nice bedtime memories like i have. In an attempt to cut back on bedtime stress we are starting an 8:30 bedtime routine with a bath before.  Wish me luck!  I'll let you know who wins the battle :)