Letting Go

As a parent one of the hardest things to do is to let go, to let your babies learn independence. I think back to this time last year, and I had a pretty helpless 2 1/2 month old. She wanted to be held all the time, cuddled, and loved on. All she wanted to do was eat, sleep, and look at her daddy & me. Skip ahead a year and I have an independent 14 1/2 month old who only wants to be held when she nurses or naps. She wants to run around, play, & pick out her own videos to watch. I know part of being a successful parent is teaching your children independence and self-reliance so they grow up to be successful adults, but letting go is hard. I feel like I blinked, and my baby is grown-up. I have mixed emotions as she masters skills. When she learned to walk I was so proud of her, but then I realized that is one less thing she will need me for now. Don't get me wrong during the first year there were times I really could not wait for her to grow up a bit. Like when I wanted to eat, shower, or use the bathroom but could not put her down. And now I love that she can say mama & daddy, she can give hugs & kisses, and she can run to me when she wants me. I realize parenthood is going to be a mixed bag of tears of joy & tears of sadness, but there is also laughter, smiles, and sometimes frustration. I plan on soaking in every moment! And when my baby wants to nap for hours in my arms, preventing me from doing anything else, I will not get frustrated I will take every second to memorize the way her face looks while she is dreaming, how sweet her little feet and hands look, and the way she snuggles in closer as she relaxes into sleep. I am going to try and put down my phone more and be present in the moment, because it will pass too quickly.

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