A mom-in-progress..

I don't know what it is.. If it is the open North Dakota air, the lack of friend/family influences, or the realization that my sweet, naughty, lovely children seem to be growing up at an alarmingly quick rate and I fear (and when I say 'fear' I mean deep down-scare-me-to-death-make-my-stomach-hurt fear)that I will miss THIS..baby drool, sweet eyes, 2 year-old tantrums, 2 year-old dancing and singing, and my daughter thinking that I am so wonderful that her only wish is to grow up and be like me. I fear that in a blink of an eye, they will no longer be small, and I will wish that I had done more, spent more time with them. Never has this fear been so strong as it has lately. I believe my Heavenly Father is trying to tell me to enjoy these sweet spirits he has entrusted to me! Soooo.. That is what I am doing! Along with this realization has come A LOT of HUGE changes. One of which is where I direct my energy. I finally feel it is where it needs to be: on doing what is best for my family. Once I redirected, the rest of the changes just seem to be FALLING into place.
To start off with, I believe it is the woman's right, duty, and PRIVELEGE to stay home and raise the children. It is what we are made for. (how old-fashioned of me!). As part of this, I now believe it is our duty to educate our children. To make them productive, upstanding, hard-working members of society. I personally think we LET public schools have way too much control over what our children learn. They wouldn't bhave that control if we, as parents, took responsibility and stepped up. School should be for learning reading, writing and arithmetic. All else should be up to us. That being said, we have decided that the best way to do this is to home school our children.
That is just one change. Another that seems to be happening naturally is the desire to breastfeed. I am talkin' til they are 2. At least. And all I am going to say to defend this is 'Google' "extended breastfeeding." if you still don't understand, you probably won't. I will, at about 6 months introduce proper foods and a sippy (with breastmilk). By the way, the foods...I plan on making them. And no rice cereal. HELLO avacadoes! I also plan on delaying vaccinations until age 2, and following a 1 at a time schedule. I am by NO means anti vaccinations, just wanna wait a bit, let my baby's brain go through the huge growth process it has to go through the 1st 2 years, without putting extra stuff in his body! We have also decided co-sleeping ROCKS! It is a wonderful feeling having my baby right next to me so that I can actively parent all night long.. After all, that's what I signed up for!
I do not, in anyway, judge moms who choose different parenting methods. Who am I to say what is right for their family. I just hope everyone will afford me the same luxury. After all, I am nothing more than a mom-in-progress!