Getting tough!

I'm the first born child in my family & with that comes my stronger personality type. It comes with the territory.....yet in that there's also this worry about hurting some-one's feelings or offending. I'm finding though that as I get older I am able to speak my mind a bit more & not worry so much about offending. Of course I do it respectfully & out of kindness, but you know...not letting people run over you. I not only think that age has helped this progression, but the fact that I now have children & being able to speak up for them because they really can't right now. "Mama Bear" rises up every now & again at others not thinking my children are amazing humans & yet my boys definitely have their "work in progress" challenges.

I've decided at this point I believe I have 2 first-born children. Caleb, my oldest has always been a bigger boy. He's very tall for his age & was always in the 90% on all the charts. Benjamin on the other hand has always been smaller. Barely on the charts for weight & just has never been a huge eater....must get that from Dad, because goodness knows I love to eat! :-) But, it amazes me how Benjamin can carry his own with Caleb & at times it's Benjamin who comes out on top. I do though think it's Caleb trying to be obedient to us in not hitting his brother & sometimes it appears that Ben is winning, when in fact Caleb is just obeying. But, at times I stand back & watch as they put their arms around each other & this glimmer of brotherly love appears & I treasure that in my heart.

Then we had Levi....as far as I can tell (not sure you can tell tons at 4mo.) he's going to be my mellow boy yet resemble Caleb in size. Eats well, sleeps well, gets 2 teeth without my even realizing it...you know, an extremely easy baby. Thank you Lord!! So, in getting back to my beginning opening of "speaking my mind"...yesterday was Levi's 4 month doctor's appointment. And we love our pediatrician, but they have a new nurse there & she's really cold. Caleb asks what she's doing & she says, "It's a vaccination ." Like a 4 1/2 yr old understands that! Come on lady! So, I proceed to explain it to him. We've made a decision to not give our children the Hepatitis B shot until they get older & this nurse proceeded to tell me I couldn't do that in which I proceeded to inform her..."oh yes you can...I have 2 older boys to prove it!" I walked out of there proud of myself. Not that I was rude, because I wasn't but that I spoke my mind & didn't just go with things at the risk of offending. So, I must be getting older...maybe it comes with being in my 30's or maybe it comes with the Mama territory - but what I do know is that I'm ready to take on this world for the sake of loving my boys.

Oh, by the way...I was RIGHT about the shots...ha, ha, nurse...you were wrong! - Goodness, did I type that out loud?! HA! And Levi weighs 15lbs 12.5oz & is 26in. long!