Getting "Back to Blogging" with SITS...He is Not Me

Today is the actual day!

One year...

I do not even wan to think of how

many hours I have spent on the computer!

{the link for the blogday celebration giveaway

is at the bottom of the post!}

The topic of today's SITS "get back to blogging" challenge is:
"Re-upload a post you wish more people had read and explain why it was important to you."
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Typically I just write my stories and thoughts without preparation - I just sit down and do it - notes don't work for me...but the idea behind this post had been brewing for some time and I could not keep it all straight in my head...and then it was not quite right, or maybe I was not quite ready to publish it yet. I talk about the kids in generalities {even write their names}, but do not go into too much personal detail...so it was "scary" to hit PUBLISH POST for this one. I was unsure of how it would come across, if I would be able to convey the feelings and emotions I wanted to.

I find this post to be even more relevant as my son grows older. I need to accept his personality, his decisions, his journey to become who he is meant to be, not who I envision him being. I love who he is and what he is becoming, but we have many differences in our basic personalities that makes this a challenge sometimes. I am looking for new ways to connect with him as he grows out of "little boyhood."

Here are a few of my own thoughts on mommyhood.
{with a few edits since the first publishing date}

October 2, 2009
He is Not Me
As a mom I have flashes of brilliance, with a lot of sparks and misfires in between. This post today is about a spark that has taken me way too long to realize (I am still working on it)...

I am the mom that still walks my 8 (now 9) year old up to the classroom door and waits until he is inside. I am the mom who despite her son's pleas, “Can you just do big kid drop off?” continues to do this. Joe is growing up...and I cannot stop it - I mean, obviously I know that, but I just couldn’t (or didn’t want to) really see it. Honestly, it wasn’t until my daughter was born two (now three) years ago that I even really realized this was happening.

By profession, I am a wedding planner. I admit it, I like plans! I thought way back when that when I was pregnant with Joe that I could plan out his life, mold this child to be who I wanted him to be. I figured that if I was focused and driven and (slightly) competitive he would be too. If I liked arts and crafts, he would too. Ha! I very quickly (like within minutes of the birth) realized the joke’s on me!

our fantabulous castle we built together

Joe has a unique and quirky sense of himself, which I often do not understand right away. Because of that, I admit that I find myself riding his ass -  “good behavior…respect…manners…pay attention…focus.” I want him to be the best he can be, to be respectful, polite, and caring. Every now and then I step out of my "mom shoes" and objectively look at him. When I do, I realize he is all of those things and more.

Joe is loving and brilliant, persistent and insistent, intense and purposeful (when he wants to be). Did I mention persistent? He hugs and kisses me all the time - I am waiting for the day some kid makes fun of him for this - although I am not sure he will even care - at this point his peers opinions do not seem to bother him at all (how much do I hope that continues?)...and he always wants to snuggle. He is kind and loving with his sister beyond my wildest dreams. He thinks she hung the moon (and visa-versa).

When I think about the boy I have raised thus far and how to raise him to be the teenager and man I hope he can be, the most important thing I have realized is that he is his own person - a fine, loving, bright person – he is wonderful and amazing in his own way...and most importantly, he is not me.

mothers day 2009
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The ladies at SITS are having a "get back to blogging and jump start your blog" challenge all week long. I thought this was perfect timing - I was already planning on doing a few of the topics anyway. To sweeten the deal, the event is sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar, and Florida Builder Appliances!

Tomorrow is another SITS "back to blogging" post: 

"Re-upload a post with a title that you are particularly proud of and explain why."

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Thanks everyone for reading and visiting,

especially during these crazy days.

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Want to win one of these beauties?

 Go visit this post to ENTER!

Today is the real day - the actual Blogday.
Now,I must go bake myself a cake now.