A Change for the Good

Granty changed my life in ways too numerous to count, but my parenting is one of the areas most noticeably impacted by my experiences.  There's no doubt that Alexa and Ani are the beneficiaries of the life lessons that Granty taught me.  Thanks to their brother, they have a better mother.

Grant's far-too-short life is a constant reminder to value the time I have with my girls.  My maternity leave with Ani has been drastically different than my leaves with Alexa and Grant.  It's taken a conscious effort on my part, but I have tried my best to avoid work-related activities - a marked difference from my prior leaves in which my laptop was on constantly and I was always checking e-mail on my phone.  Rather, my days at home are focused upon Ani, and I only log onto my work computer and e-mail account maybe once or twice a day (very un-Connie-like!).  I am thoroughly enjoying the time I have with little Ani, from the daily walks to simply holding her while she sleeps during the day (swings and bouncy seats are still too big for her).  It's unfortunate that it took such a dramatic experience for me to realize the importance of slowing down and enjoying the moment.

My "Lady of Leisure" lifestyle will unfortunately end in March, but there's no doubt the weeks I have at home with Ani will leave an indelible impression upon me.  When she's battling me as a teenager, I am sure I will look back fondly at these hours spent holding the little peanut on my forearm...simply squawking for food instead of talking back to her mother ;)

Hanging out this morning - - very bright-eyed today!
She was wide-awake for nearly four hours straight...a new record for her.