Carter's 7 month update

I have to tell you- the last few weeks have been both long and rough! We've had so much going on. I don't know WHEN the last time my house was clean! But, times have been good- this weekend I spent a ton of time just relaxing with the family. Though there was plenty else that could have been done, I decided to (or, seth pushed me to..) relax and put the 'to-do' list off. For this, I am thankful.


Carter is now 7 months old. He's been crawling like a speed racer since 5 months, standing since not long after that- maybe at 5 1/2 months- and is now trying to stand without holding things. He's super picky and stubborn- I blame myself for that one. "Mamama" is his favorite babble (aww), he loves puppies and uses his stuffed shark as a pillow. He loves to swim, and loves his mickey mouse. Right now we are working on- feeding himself, and dunking under water. He's fascinated by water bottles- and if mom and dad are eating, just believe he's gonna eat too. His favorite food, I think, is guacamole (Or his crunchy organic cheetos and his yogurt things- cause he can grab and chew those).


As a momma, I cannot believe how fast he is growing. He shows so much personality and it feels so amazing every time he learns something new. He's such a social baby- he loves to smile and play with everyone.


In the next month I'm looking forward to- Carter's first thanksgiving (and first night away from mom and dad - since we are going Black Friday Shopping), Pictures with Santa, Family Pictures, and Carter getting to meet so many of his cousins! Also, I'd like to say I'm predicting walking by the end of the year.

But that's plenty of gushing. Here are a few pics.



Here's carter being a big boy at 7 months, and he was feeding himself some finger foods (after some baby food- hence the messy face)

This was last month at the pumpkin patch

A preview of carter in the outfit that SETH had the idea for his Santa pictures- so cute!

The great importance of being "just" a mom.

I know it is has been far too long since my last blog. Occasionally, something happens that sparks the idea for a blog, and then life simply gets in the way. However, this time, I found something that I'd really like to discuss. 

Earlier, I got into a bit of a debate about various things, including the topic of stay at home moms. This person felt that a stay at home mom who was surviving off of her husband's money was the same as a stay at home mom who collected welfare. This person also felt that stay at home moms basically sat on their behinds all day and spent their husband's money, because, staying at home- as this person put it- really isn't that difficult. This is where we disagreed, and thus, the point of the blog.

I'll start with my opinion. Being "just" a mom is the most difficult, rewarding, and important job that a woman can have. There is nothing more important than raising future generations that will later inherit the earth. Mothers are responsible for nurturing their children, for teaching them to love, for instilling morals. I don't know about you, but as a stay at home mother, I was responsible for the laundry, the cleaning, staying up at night with the baby, shopping, running errands, dr's appointments, cooking, other various appointments, etc. 

This is not to say that fathers don't play a large role in raising the children or helping out- even when I was staying at home my dear husband helped out tremendously. Additionally, this is not to say that working moms cannot raise wonderful children. I am not blind to the fact that many families need two incomes. This is why I went back to work part time. However, if a family can afford to, mother's have a divine responsibility to really take their job of motherhood seriously.

Before I go all religious on the spiritual significance of motherhood- let me just point out a couple of facts. John Carnochan, a world famous expert on violence, linked some of the issues he dealt with as a policemen to inadequate care of children under three. John Bowlby, stated that infants needed to experience a warm constant and continuous relationship with their mother in order to thrive. The attachment theory states the same thing. Child psychotherapist Robin Balbernie and David Howe stated how problems in society such as depression can also be due to poor relationship with parents as infants. The evidence is everywhere.

In my opinion, raising my child is the most important part of my life. Do I really want to trust teaching them about life to just anyone? Do I want them to learn destructive and negative behaviors without being there to intervene? Do I want them exposed to some of the evils of the world without being able to guide them appropriately? No, in short.

From a religious standpoint, motherhood plays a very large and significant role in the eternal perspective. First of all, we bring this spirit to earth in our womb, allowing he or she to have a body so that they can become Christ-like. How amazing this privilege is, and it is only the beginning! We are responsible for supporting our priesthood holders so that they may be good examples to our children. By design, we are primarily made to nurture our children. 

While all of this may just be my perspective on the matter, I think it is really something to think about. Often, mothers who choose to stay home and raise their families are frowned upon. Stay at home mothers work hard to make happy, healthy, Godly, and smart children. No lazy person would make a good stay at home mother. A job as important as building up the future generations, as being responsible for a human life, as nurturing and teaching someone the way that they should behave- should be honored. 

I don't know about you, but I take my job very seriously. While I must currently work a few hours a day to help out with my family, I spend much of the time fulfilling my DUTIES as a mother, and I enjoy every minute of this very difficult work. 

If my primary focus in life is on raising my children, being "JUST" a mother is all I want to be.