Wednesday, April 11, 2012

a day with Annie...

Let me start out by saying that I am really blessed! I feel like I have the best of both worlds because I can stay at home with Annie Rice and work at the same time! I LOVE working...I always have! BUT it can get very overwhelming at times flopping between both roles. A lot of people don’t realize just how much work goes into photography. It’s not just about taking pictures...The majority of my work is editing, editing, editing, finances, emails, sending out contracts, creating albums, etc. It really is a lot of work! I could literally work a full 40 hours most weeks and still have work left to do! HOWEVER, I don’t do that. I’ve been really good at juggling between working and being a mom, but I have been really convicted lately about my role as a mom. I spend everyday, all day with Annie Rice. BUT the majority of that time is me at the computer with her playing in the room right next to me. She plays very well by herself so I can really get done what I need too. That’s a good and bad thing because I can be a workaholic and it’s just an excuse for me to work as much as I can, because she is fine playing! I DON’T WANT THAT! I want to spend quality time with her NOT JUST AT NIGHT when Kaz gets home! She see’s me everyday on my computer and she loves sitting in my lap while I’m on it, but too soon she will know what a computer is and think it’s ok for her to be on it just as much as mom. She sees me constantly responding to emails on my phone! While I have to do some of this stuff, I’m creating some bad habits for her to see AND worst of all I’m missing out on real quality time with her! 
SO, I made a rule! 1 day a week it’s Annie/Mommy day! NO EMAIL, NO COMPUTER unless she is sleeping! Today was that day! I didn’t open my computer until just now...I have seen emails coming through on my phone but haven’t responded unless I had to! It’s been an amazing day! Annie Rice enjoyed it and it has meant so much to me to see her SO HAPPY today! We started out the day at the children’s museum downtown with my friend Baylis, and her daughter Andie! Annie loved every room of the museum but especially the grocery area! Her favorite thing to eat is “cookies”! She ask for cookies all day! This morning when I gave her breakfast she said “cookies”. I said, no:) BUT in her shopping cart in the grocery store room, that little girl only put cookies in her buggy! NOTHING ELSE! I couldn’t help but laugh! 
We had lunch with Kaz at her favorite, Chick-fila! After lunch, she went down for her nap! While she napped, I watched a little TV and cleaned up just a bit! Again, no work day:) After she woke up from her nap, we fixed her favorite cookies, snicker doodle! She colored in her veggie tales coloring book and played out back with our neighbor’s daughter! We had spaghetti for dinner[again her favorite] and then took her for a ride in her favorite red wagon! I hope she feels special:) I really had such a good time with her, and I really want to do this every week! This time will go by too fast, so I’m going to make the most of it while I can! 
Below are pictures from our day! Please excuse the quality...They were all on my phone!











 Sorry, there eyes are crazy here...flash on my phone!

















5 comments:

Linda said...

What a good plan! I do agree that kids are smart, and they do figure out how much time we spend on these silly computers! Kids aren't little for very long. I am glad that you are making the time to make Annie Rice feel special and loved!

Bravo!

Linda @ Truthful Tidbits

Jennifer said...

What a fun day. She's such a sweetie!

LUV2SHOP_KC said...

What you are feeling is mommy guilt. We all have it. We think we should be able to do it all. Your doing all the right things. Just limit yourself and plan time with her in your day.

Jemsmom said...

Enjoy those moments because they go by so fast and trust me when I say that we all feel the mommy guilt! The children's museum is awesome! That is where we had Jemma's birthday last year. They were wonderful!!! There are many days where I pick her up from school and we go downtown for a girls' lunch then we just wander in and out of all the stores. I don't say, "Let's go" or "that's enough". She peruses and enjoys and I just enjoy being with her. It will be so different for us next year when she goes to school all day everyday. :-( You are a great mom and your love is so evident in all that you do. She will grow up with so many special memories!

Olivia said...

She is so stinkin cute!! These pictures melt my heart :)