The Mom Job

"Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs anyone can do, and it will take you to your very limits sometimes. You cry, you hurt, you try, you fail, you work and you learn. But, you also experience more joy that you thought was possible and feel more love than your heart can contain. Despite all the pain, grief, late nights and early mornings your children put you through, you would do it all again for your children because they are worth it to you."

 

I am going to a retreat at the end of January with an AMAZING blog write, author and mother of a special needs child, Kelle Hampton. The name of it is Enjoying the Small Things. And she, along with two other women are putting on a retreat in Ojai, CA called Spark. 22 women, one room, and a weekend full of story telling, story writing, connecting and learning. It's intimidating for me to go on a trip with twenty something other women I've never met and sleep in the same villa with twenty something people I don't know from Adam. But I am looking forward to expanding my comfort zone. I am looking forward to sharing my experience as a mother, and I am looking forward to raising awareness about Usher Syndrome, something a friend of mine pointed out that I didn't even think about when signing up to go.

 

I felt guilty at first for taking the time away from my family for something that on the fore front looks like only I will benefit from. But I truly believe that the benefits will outweigh the cost of the weekend. I hope to grow in ways that I never imagined I would. I hope to come back a refreshed mom and wife to my kids and my husband.

 

I realize I am saying this with only 2 children tugging at me during their minimal waking hours during the work week, but it's still a hard job. I go from work at the office, to my job as a mom at home. And these days, my boys are attached at my hip. Poor Blair tries to distract them, but when you've got a teething one year old and a 3.5 year old who wants the same attention as his brother, it tends to wear your down. There are so many times when I wonder if I am making the right decisions for my children. And as much as I try to compare my decisions to other moms, it only wears me down more. There's no use in comparing because everyone's household behind closed doors is different. And I'm starting to realize that most of what we go through are normal age appropriate phases. And like my own mom used to say- this too will pass. And it's true. These exhausting nights and early (very very very early) mornings won't last forever. And the things that wear me down the most will probably be the things I miss the most in a few years.

Last weekend was the last bottle Harrison took. Blair and I always said we can't wait until we can just put the baby bottles away for good. And now that we have, I had a little moment of sadness come over me. Harrison turned 1 this past week, and I told Blair the other day that things seem to be getting easier in general with the boys, but I miss my babies. And since the bottles come with the babies, I guess I kind of miss the bottles sometimes as well....

 

 

New House/Thanksgiving 2014

The second weekend in November, we were finally able to move into our new house. The boys are really getting into a good routine, and we have some normalcy back in our lives!

 

Harrison has already managed to find his way around with the toy most likely to give any adult a headache after 30 seconds ;)

 

And this is what a typical night in our house looks like these days:

 

 

It's not the best picture, but it's a picture that I've always dreamed of. I'm in a constant state of "be careful, not his head, watch his neck, I SAID NOT HIS HEAD, gentle, NOT THE HEAD!"

But it's been so fun to watch them playing together.

 

 

And before we knew it, it was Thanksgiving week! Blair and I took off the Wednesday before to take the boys to the Children's Museum and Harrison and I ran in the Miles Perret Cancer Services 5K. Poor baby was out at a mile and a half, it was past his bedtime!

 

 

And Thanksgiving Day. I think it's been the best yet. The weather played a huge part, it was absolutely beautiful! Not to cold and not to warm, but perfect boys outside football weather!

 

We are SO unbelievably blessed with two amazing families who come together in such great spirits. Spending the day with our families was truly what made my Thanksgiving so amazing.

 

 

The football commentators ;)

 

I have to say, the amount of things that my family and I have to be thankful for this year is ridiculously overflowing. My special needs son is in a mainstream private school and flourishing like I never dreamed he would. He has friends. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. When he was getting his ears, I was unsure how his classmates and colleagues would react. I was scared they would make fun of him and not befriend him. But I was gladly proven wrong. He has a teacher who welcomed him with open arms, has learned his strengths and weaknesses, and works to make him a better student every single day. That is one of the greatest gifts a mother can be given. Teachers play an amazing role in this world, and they don't get enough credit for raising our children and spending more time with them during the week than we do. He has a speech therapist who takes him on special walks twice a week to pray to Mary and St. Katharine Drexel. That in itself is one of the things I am most grateful for. He has a school family who has also embraced him and his love for dancing and singing. I have received multiple videos from Friday masses at St. Edward's where Hunter is leading the dance moves in front of church completely in his element. My mom and I talk all the time about what Hunter's personality would be like without Cochlear Implants. Without his love for music and talking to other people, it simply would not be what it is today. Not even near it. I know everything in my posts boil down to being grateful for his CIs, and I know we would survive without them. But it would be a longer and harder journey on us all.

 

And as much as I hate Usher Syndrome and everything it stands for, I am grateful for my Usher Syndrome family. Everyone has a cross to carry, and with our cross comes an amazing support system. People who are carrying the cross as us, walking in the same shoes as us, and all working towards a brighter future for our children. I am so grateful for the strangers, the friends, and our family members who are helping us carry our cross, because without them, Blair and I would not have the strength to do it all. For you all, we are so very grateful.

 

And my immediate family. For my two beautiful children and my better half, my husband. They are my world. Harrison keeps me on my toes ALL waking hours and never lets me take my eye off of him. But he always turns around with a smile to light up the room (and normally some foreign object in his mouth :/ ). For our Faucheaux Family Fun days, and for our "everyone woke up on the wrong side of the bed" days, we are in it together, and we always make it to the other side together. I often think about the saying- what if you woke up with only the things you thanked God for the night before? And I thank God for you 3, each and every night. You all make me laugh so often, sometimes make me cry, but ALWAYS make me realize how lucky I am to be your mama and wife.

 

I hope everyone has something to be thankful for this holiday season. Thank you all for following our journey!

 

 

Halloween 2014

I know I am way past my Halloween picture deadline, but now that I am getting a chance to catch up I will do a few separate posts.

 

(everything goes STRAIGHT into his mouth)