The joys of being a stay-at-home mommy

I've been very blessed to have been able to stay at home with my little munchkin all these years. I have been a stay-at-home mommy ever since I was 8 months pregnant. I know that with this economy, not many mommies are able to do so which is why I consider myself very fortunate! Never has my baby ( well, now he is 3- not a baby anymore) stepped inside a daycare or has he had a babysitter. I have wonderful friends who have watched him for a day ( and one time even overnight!), but my little Justin has always been under my care. I've always been so afraid to take him to a daycare. Although it would mean more income for my family, I figured I'd wait! At least until he started school! After that, I can find a real job (I say real because I do work now, only one or two days a week. I fill in for my husband and he stays home with our son. I do this so that he is able to spend time with our son.) and get a workin'! Although I did complain in the past about being a stay-at-home mom, I realize that I'm very blessed and so many woman would have loved to do what I am doing now. Spending quality time with my son. I've been present for every single milestone. I witnessed his first time crawling, walking, talking, everything. Now that he is older, staying home with him brings more joys and of course more challenges! With the terrible two's almost at it's end (Gosh, I hope I don't jinx myself!), I can enjoy more of Justin and less of Justin's tantrums! A few months ago, I thought I was going to lose it! His tantrums and public meltdowns were taking a huge toll over me! It was extremely frustrating to say the least! Now, a few months later, I am elated to see that his tantrums are slowly coming to a culmination.
Another great thing about this year or so that I have left before my munchkin starts school, is that he is talking soooooooooo much more! My husband and I were just talking about how it seems that both his vocabulary and speech are dynamically changing! It almost seems, to us, that he is speaking as well as an adult and it blows our minds! This is our first child so everything we are experiencing is for the very first time. This age, I'd say, is magical. Very soon he will be able to join a youth baseball team which is very exciting! My husband and I are so looking forward to this! My husband has been trying to enroll him into sports since he was one, lol! We found out that we had to wait until he was at least four which means we have just one more year of waiting!
Another great joy of this age is that they are so willing to help out with cooking, cleaning, and just any task you give them! My son is always volunteering to sweep and cook! Sometimes, I'm in such a hurry to get dinner ready that I let him help me for half a second and no more than that. Today, however, I decided to let him help me make his own lunch. Which he had lots of fun doing! We made quesadillas out of homemade tortillas. He helped mixing the "masa" or corn flour as well as making the tortillas and adding the cheese on the tortilla to make the quesadilla. He was super happy that I let him do this! He ran to the restroom to get his stool and was ready to help me with anything I needed help with. After washing our hands, I let him form the masa and he helped me flatten it out with the tortilla press. After we were done, he ate a very big quesadilla and was a happy camper. Moments like these are what I will be thinking of as I cry my heart out the day he goes off to college! I feel a tear coming!