Wordless Wednesday: Standing Birthday Girl

 

 My baby girl will be one this Saturday! I'm sad and happy at the same time. On Monday she decided she wanted to try standing!

Competition

I sometimes wonder why people try to fit children into these little molds of what they think children should be like. Recently, we've encountered some people who probably should know a lot about children but I really don't think know that much at all.
Of course since I have a baby people want to know how big she is, what type of milestones she's reached, etc. She's a very small little girl so people automatically assume she is a preemie - no, she was a week overdue - or that there is something wrong with her - no she is just a little petite girl. People never believe me that she's the age she is. She looks healthy and is growing just fine though so it irks me a bit when people ask if the doctor is "concerned about her." I wouldn't really mind either but it seems like *every* time I go somewhere someone inevitably says something. Oh well, such is life!
She's also very much a Momma's girl and wants to be held quite a bit. People apparently think this is wrong. They've also told me I've held her too much and that she will never be able to stay with anyone else. And of course, you KNOW that was my evil plan to never be free of my children.....
Of course, these people pale in comparison with others I have met since I put my oldest in school. People are SO competitive. It's like you can't even talk about your children because they automatically start whipping out the notebooks (or maybe baby books?) and comparing notes on what our children are doing. It's nice to see the differences between children but it doesn't bother me in the slightest that my child potty-trained later than theirs and walked a bit later. These self-proclaimed think it's the end of the world, though. He's excelling at so many things and the doctor has no issues with him, so why would I? He's a very stubborn child which of course made potty-training more of a challenge. I guess I just don't worry about things like that as much as others. Obviously I keep up on what the children are doing and if they were really behind in something, I would want to know. But I think people need to realize that not every child is the same. They're different unique, complex individuals.
A lot of these people would like to control their creativity as well. I was explained to what "meaningful coloring" was this past week and I think it's a load of crap. Apparently scribbling in any and all forms is wrong. These people do not realize that children (four year olds at that) sometimes just want to scribble. Sometimes they'll do the normal things that four year olds do and other days they'll be in a weird mood and won't. I don't think we should put them all in this box to try and make them exactly the same. By telling them they're coloring "wrong" you're limiting them. I can tell this momma is going to be a homeschooling momma in the future... Anyway, this is just my opinion, take it for what you will.

(Zeke when he was just learning to walk!)

These Precious Things

"Pain is the payment for each precious thing," was a quote from this week's episode of CSI:NY. I've watched it from time to time but I'm not a super fan by any means - I was flipping channels and it just happened to be on. One of the CSI people was recovering from being shot and having to learn to walk all over again. His co-worker told him the quote I mentioned above, talking about how he needed to try harder to learn to walk for his precious little newborn baby. At the end of the episode, his wife (girlfriend?) wakes up, hearing the baby crying on the baby monitor. She gets up and goes to the baby's room only to find that the CSI is already up with the baby, shuffling around the room and patting it's back. She smiles as tears fill her eyes. It reminded me of two things - one, a very good friend of mine who recently went through that process of learning to walk all over again and two, the first steps we take as babies.

The first thing was a long and still continuing process for my friend. She spent most of last winter sick with meningitis. She ended up having her legs amputated, getting new legs and learning to walk all over again. It has been amazing to see her accomplishments. When she sent me the pictures of her first steps with her new legs, I cried. I'm very proud of her and all the things she has done. She has come a long way and I believe she will go even further than anyone has ever imagined as time goes on.

The second thing, our first steps as babies, are a huge, well..."step" in our life. We learn to roll, to crawl, to smile, to eat and eventually to walk. And once your children start walking, that's it! Soon they're getting into things, following their siblings, growing taller & stronger, reaching more & more milestones and moving on up out of our lives. Before we know it, they're adults with families of their own. When my son took his first tedious steps across the floor, tears immediately sprang to my eyes - my little guy was growing up! I was so proud. Now he tears around all over the house! :) I know I will do the same thing all over again when my daughter learns to walk too.

So that first big step is a big part of all of our lives - whether we're learning to walk for the first OR the second time. And sometimes it requires a little pain. But it's good to remember that "pain is the payment for each of our precious things."