Hey Mama

Vieve just turned two the other day and I was thinking back to all the ways I've grown, as her mother and as an individual. Before I got pregnant with her, I had an image in my head of what my child would be like - very mild mannered, super polite, easy-going and fashionable. (S)He would not throw tantrums in public, they would not eat junk food, things like potty training would be a breeze, and surely a 1 year old with a pacifier would never happen. 

I won't say I pictured a fairytale about raising children; I'll just say it wasn't realistic for my life. I think that's where most of us go wrong. Whether it is marriage, schooling, childbearing, job seeking etc. - the children's stories and books have taught us that fairytales are attainable when in reality they aren't.

Vieve has defied everything I thought would happen for me as a parent from the moment I found out I was pregnant with her. Nevertheless, she has been the greatest blessing to her father and me. The fact still remains, we do overthink parenting sometimes. We think there must be a special trick for problems where the solution is much easier than we think.

For example, Vieve loved her pacifier. I did not want to give her one from the beginning, but things happen 🙄. She would pack it away in special places and forget where it was and I would spend at least 45 mins. each day playing hide and seek, trying to figure out where she put it. As we approached her 2nd birthday, I began to look for ways to wean her off it. Low and behold, I found a 5-Day Weaning System - we went to the store to purchase it and they no longer carried it. 

The very next week, she was playing, put it in a special place and like usual, I searched all over for it. I was extremely tired that night and said, I'll find it later. It's now been a little over a week - still no pacifier. She's asked for it a few times but I told her it was gone bye bye and she just responds "oh" and carries on with her day. Now, had I known her response was going to be that I would have tossed that thing a long time ago!

It's funny how the very things we tend to judge others on, often times become our realities. If I must be honest, I am truly grateful for them though because they have humbled me. I don't have 5 tricks to parenting or the ultimate guide to mom life; I'm living and learning it just like you.

So....Hey Mama, 

That smile on your child's face lets me know you are doing just fine.