Marvelous Monday

… Another weekend over! I’m a bit saddened when Dave leaves for work Mondays. Having him home on the weekends, even when he’s working in the office has left Addie and I quite spoiled. We just want to see Dave all the time! Poor Addie cries when he leaves the room, struggling to cruise around different objects until she can reach the gate and push it open… the whole time “DAAAAAH DAAAAAHHHH” is spewing from her lips between hot tears. Poor kid. I feel the same way.

She wakes up around 6am during the week and Dave gets her from her crib and spends the morning with her. When he leaves her in my arms after their morning breakfasts during the week (a routine I am not privy to take part in), she curls up with me and her milk and falls into a gentle breathing until she is once again resting in my arms. When she wakes again around 9am, I can hear her from our bed (I’m usually in the office working) “Mommm? Maaaah?!” “Immma gonnnna getchu!” I say, pushing my chair back from the desk. As I sit and type I can already see the look that will spread across her rosy face. Her head propped against pillows, her hair wild with curls and sweat and she pokes her face into the mattress in a fit of giggles. I wrap my fingers around her belly, ticking her ribs and kissing her neck. We both collapse with laughter and I ask her “what should we do today, Buggah?” “Uuuupp!” she says.

This is my morning. And I’m so thankful for it.

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A few weeks ago I wrote a post about Welcome to Holland HERE. A few people emailed me to tell me they agreed, or why they disagreed. Some commented, others Liked. In the end, I came up with how I really feel about the poem in true sarcastic Chelley fashion. While others may feel that they have been left out of some club of normalcy, I feel like we are just fashionably late. You know when you get to a 9 o’clock party at 10:30 and everyone is a bit loosened up. Whether it’s the alcohol that has gotten the guests over their shyness, or the great music pumping from the stereo- all those wallflowers are now talking and enjoying the night.

That’s how I feel.

All the moments I watched my friends monitor the same charts, charts I’d thrown away months before- pouring over the monthly checklists emailed en masse from one parenting resource or another. The steps that were feared and then celebrated by purchasing every safety device made. I missed that. I’m just getting to that party. And I’m here alone. It’s kind of lonely sometimes, but it’s also awesome. My friends are watching Addie now- all eyes on her. Moms celebrating this one little beauty leave her mark on everyone she meets. Showing off her skills. The things that her peers mastered months ago, she is beginning to explore, and I am so blessed to have a community surrounding me to cheer her on as she goes.

It’s not ever easy to be the odd man out. Sometimes it’s quite a weight to bear, but it’s also a blessing, an opportunity and a lesson in how strong we are. Addie might be our only child. We might just always be a bit late to the party and we will never know what it’s like to be on time… but what we will know is what it’s like to walk a trail blazed before us and have people at the next mile marker waving us on.

Welcome to dwarfism… it’s kind of awesome here.

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Lastly, I’ve said a lot about monthly challenges for the body. This random of the week is a challenge for your creativity! My friend (and all around life guru), Mary Larsen from Tall Mom Tiny Baby is doing an Instagram challenge this month.

Don’t worry about being a bit late to the party- after all- the good stuff always happens when you’re fashionably late! Follow me on IG @martinkadeluxe to check out my challenge photos!

Happy Monday!!!!