You, hurry up! And you, slow down….
So here I am again going on and on about growing babies…. well, as I have mentioned, it is birthday season in my house, and throw in ‘stepping up’ ceremonies and I may need another case of tissues.
Yesterday my daughter finished her first year of school. She loved it. She hated it. She mostly loved it. She grew in every sense of the word - physically, emotionally, and mentally. She turns 5 today(!) and is just overflowing with growth.
The past 2-3 months my son has gotten more independent. This is a change. My daughter was fiercely independent by 18 months. My husband and I joke that when she was a baby and you held her, so leaned back and rarely held on - where as my son clings to you for dear life. But anyway, by 18 months my mini fashionista was picking out clothes, picking out dinnerware, taking the world by storm, And, being 5 months pregnant at the time I encouraged it - you want to put your coat on? YES! You want to put your own socks and shoes on? PLEASE! I encouraged her to do as much on her own as possible. I *had* to, right? I mean, a baby on the way, my hands were going to be busy! Then my son entered the world and he had me, and my daughter, to do things for him… selecting his clothes, putting his socks on… you name it, and someone did it. But, lately he wants to pick out clothes. He wants to put on his socks (inside out of course!). And he wants to put the key in the door and open it. Basically, the simple routine of leaving the house has become a 30 minute process of him packing a bag, and him putting his shoes on - his boat shoes! No, his sneakers! No, his crocs! I tell you. Shoe selection takes half my morning. With his new found independence, it has been reminding me of how much more I was ‘hurry up, learn this’ with my daughter, and now, much more ‘wait, let mama do this for you’ with my son.
Of course both kids still need me. And of course I like that they both can do more for themselves. But, and this is the big one, of course I am 100% selfish and want them to *need* me… yes they do. But, already, at 3 and now a just newly 5, they don’t always want to ask for help. But, being the mama bear that I am, just have to give them the support and guidance to be independent little people, to help them up, and build them up, and pick them up if needed.
Posted by Erica
Photo: Me & my little graduate
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