Three of the Many Things I Have Learned Since Becoming A Mother

1) Coupons are the best.
I learned this right away after I gave birth to my son, Brody. I immediately signed up on-line for every possible baby orientated website I could find. The coupons were amazing; for everything from diapers to formula to toys.

I love coupons to the point in which I will go to three or four different stores if an item is on sale at that store and I can use a coupon. I get a huge rush from it as if it were a drug. What makes it even better is that Cub, Rainbow and Target list the percentage of total savings at the end of their store receipts. When I see, “Today your total savings was 33%”, I flip!

2) You are not just a mother to your child; you are a mother to all children.
On Saturday, my stepsister Laurel and I were at the corner of Robert St., and Thompson Ave. in West St. Paul. I saw a woman, who I thought was the mother of two children seated beside her on the bus stop bench, repeatedly hit one of the children in the arm with her fist. I was totally flabbergasted. I rolled-down my window and told her that her behavior was totally inappropriate. I screamed, “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size!” To which she replied, “Mind your own business you beeotch.” I couldn’t believe it. I wasn’t about to let this woman continue to abuse these poor, innocent children in front of me. I immediately called 911 and told them what was happening. I drove up to Butler Ave., and turned around back down Robert St., to make sure I could see what she was still doing to the children. I felt much more at ease when I saw the West St. Paul police car speed down Robert and pull into a parking lot right next to the sidewalk in which she was walking with the children. The police officer called me shortly thereafter and told me the woman was their grandmother and that he was talking to the kids about what had happened. I gave him my contact information for the report. I truly hope it worked out in the children’s favor.

3) Make time for your husband or significant other.
I have found that I treasure the alone time that I have with my husband more now that I ever did before. Even though we spend more of our alone time talking about both of our boys, it is fun to spend the quiet time together. I have found that I love my husband more with each day that passes. I have much more respect for him as a man and father to my 2.5 and 3.5 year old boys than ever. I was truly impressed with Mike’s ability to take care of the boys for 9 days on his own. I am not quite sure I could have done it…but he did. I know it was trying for him as I have noted before in my previous post, but he did it, and that was what was most important. He deserves my time, just as much as my younger boys do. :)