I truly believe that Babies are the most wonderful gift God can give you. So full of love, eagerness, constantly learning, growing before your eyes. I really can’t imagine that someday all my babies will be grown and I won’t have a little one to wrap up in blankies and hold in my arms. I’m really trying hard to treasure Emma’s baby stage as I know it goes all too quickly, but sometimes it’s hard, especially when my desires get in the way of really being present with Emma. Whether it’s the desire to have the house clean and tidy; to be able to get out of the house and get some errands or shopping done; or to indulge in reading a magazine, watching a favorite show, or spending some alone time with Steve. Loving, nuturing, and giving your baby the time he or she needs is not as easy as it sounds. It is a hard balance to strike between spending too little time on self and too much time on self. I think that all too often, we as moms go to one extreme or the other when it comes to caring for our children. I know that the Lord didn’t call us to be mother martyrs and sacrifice ourselves as women, wives, and friends for the good of our children, but nor did he call us to live self-centered lives, so how much chasing after your dreams and desires is too much…and how much is just plain necessary?