that new baby smell

i had a new baby start with me this week. she's a new year's eve baby. pretty complexion, chuuuuubbbby!, and so very smiley. i met her mom and grandma a few weeks ago, and then i met her daddy yesterday. they are a young couple, fresh out of high school, and remind me so much of jeff and i twelve years ago. i like working with younger parents. they need a little guidance and someone to listen. they are a little more "flaky" sometimes, but what teenager isn't? they seem like really nice kids, and very much in love...i love to see that. it's so rare to find young couples like them that survive.

i am trying to be a more patient and understanding parent, while at the same time more, uh, what's the word i'm looking for? not strict, or demanding, well....maybe a nicer word for strict...like consistent? i don't think i "demand" much from my kids, but i don't expect much either. i think i need to "expect" more of certain things like, helping out around the house, keeping their rooms clean, you know, stuff they should be doing. i don't set boundaries very well when it comes to that kind of stuff. i need to do better. i know i need to be more of a role model for my kids when it comes to responsibility, but it's really really tough. my bedroom is a total disaster. no, i mean it. it is. it's as bad or worse than alex's room, perhaps not as bad as the little guys' room (but that's just because i haven't been sneaking snacks in there), but it's worse than haley's room. that's horrible. i don't want to be a "do as i say not as i do" type of parent! i want genuine respect from my kids, not fear or apathy.
can you tell it's "that" time of the month? i feel like i rant about my parenting every time it hits me! or at least rant about something every time.

my kids started back to school today! hip hip HOORAY! on friday, the other kids start back at school. i'm glad i have a few more months of school before the kids are out for the summer. it gives me some time to prepare myself.