Because Babies Are Awesome (At Least Mine Is)

I keep staring at my computer screen expecting a brilliant opening statement to appear and...blank space.

There's a few important items I need to announce.

I finished my capstone and turned it in with 19 minutes to spare! I had great hopes that it would be this radical, nuanced, stunning piece of work, and it's not. But, it's finished, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in Regent's graduating class who had a baby during the semester, and I wrote it either when Landon was asleep, when I was bouncing him with my foot, or when Stephen was here. So, I'm declaring victory nonetheless. In true Susie fashion I totally forgot how to create an MLA works cited page, which is something I've been doing off memory for five years. I get antsy with deadlines. Thankfully, Google exists and I survived.

Now I have an assignment in each of my non-senior classes, and then as of May 2nd, I'm a college graduate. *Tosses hat in the air*  At least the 2nd is when Regent's 2014 commencement is, so that's the date I'm claiming.

And the next week my sister graduates from TMC, and the next week my brother walks at CSU's commencement, and the next another brother graduates 8th grade. (And then my mom gets married!!) So, as you can see, our family is totally into letting each person have their time in the spotlight. And yes, our age versus graduation year pattern makes no sense, but we each had a different journey towards undergrad commencement.

I've been googling different quotations for my facebook cover photos, and I came across this insightful thought--supposedly by Elanor Roosevelt. (Can't trust the interwebz.)

And I find this so fitting, especially right now in the season of graduations and whatnot. It's fantastic reminder to me that, every day, I make choices that influence my tomorrow. It's a maxim about living intentionally, something that I often forget to do.

I think the biggest (such a lame adjective for an English major, but carrying on) reason I'm delighted to be graduating is that I won't have this steep expense draining my bank account. I paid my last pennies (hundreds of dollars) of tuition a few weeks ago, and it's so freeing not to have it anymore.I'm sure I'll eventually have more education, and that will come at a price, of course, but for these next months I'm going to enjoy not having to pay tuition.

Now that I'm finished (I promise) waxing poetic about my journey in expensive academia, I'm going to talk about my favorite bambino ever.

Fatz

I think he looks fatter here than he does in person--everything's squishing together so adorably here--but he is a total butterball.  I've been incredibly lucky and blessed that I've been able to exclusively breastfeed him--his occasional bottle is filled with perfectly warmed, pumped milk. He's ~15 pounds, sailing through his milestones, and as you can see, healthy, healthy, healthy. 

Whenever we go out, people comment on his rolls, or his smile, or just the fact that he's a baby, and I love it. The world can be a dark, sad place, and babies are such joy-bringers. They're everything that's fresh, innocent, and trusting in this world, and I think people are encouraged when they see a little beacon of joy. 

I've been loving life lately--especially the last few days that I've been finished with my capstone. Landon is interactive and fun, and I'm getting to see my husband so much more than when we were both working a lot, or when we were engaged or dating. I'm totally spoiled and have another seven weeks after I graduate to stay home with Landon before I go back to work. I find it crazy, but the girl who was constantly inundating her bosses with requests for full time hours at (technically) part time jobs--all while going to school full time--now will do anything in her power to work part time for this season of life. Babies are life changers.

One of my friends described this time as a "golden era" for us, and it truly is.

In my quest for yet another cover picture, I find this delightful piece of insight by Hemingway. 

This summarizes my precise feelings on the matter, and the imagery of blood-covered type writer is...well, beautiful in its grotesque way. 

I have the best intentions of building a new blog, now that some lovely people have pledged to follow me. It's on my post-graduation to-do list, and it will completed in a few weeks. It will. It must. 

The drool-monster (he can't be teething yet, right?!!) is still cheerfully kicking away and I'm yawning because he decided to act like an actual baby and sleep in two hour stints last night. I'm an avowed not-a-fan and would like him to go back to regularly scheduled program of 4-6 hours, or even increase the sleeping period. However, me being sleepy means that he will be soonish, and Landon sleepy time is Susie homework time. I have a travelogue to write!

And...for those of you who ask me for blog recommendations, here's a gorgeous super mama's blog that details the hilarity and utter crazy of four children three and under.

Read Camp Patton and your life will be better for it!

Truly.