Saturday, July 16, 2011

If I could do it all again

I feel like I could write a year's worth of posts related to Evie's first birthday.  I have always been a pretty reflective person...maybe it's the teacher in me.  I always think, "How could I do it differently?  How could I get a better result?"  Anytime I teach a new lesson, I mentally file away (or, when I'm feeling extra organized, I actually write down) how I could do it better next time. 

As Evie rapidly approaches her first birthday (only 8 more days!), I feel like I'm doing the same thing as a parent.  When I look back at some of the obstacles that we've faced in the past year, I question myself as to how I could have done it better.  Maybe if I hadn't held her through all of those naps on my maternity leave, we wouldn't have had our daycare drama in January.  (Our daycare provider (in-home, state certified) talked us into Ferber/CIO because Evie wouldn't nap for her.  We no longer use that daycare.)  Speaking of that, I wouldn't do something that I wasn't completely comfortable with. 

I think that the biggest thing that I would change is my own attitude.  Self-confidence has never been one of my strongest features.  I know that as Evie gets older, I'm going to need to stick to my guns more and more.  M and I will have to follow our own instincts and trust that we're doing the right thing, regardless of what anyone else says. 

Obviously, I can't go back and do it all again.  I can't blame myself for any mistakes either.  I just have to keep learning.  As Evie grows up, I suppose I'll grow up as a mommy too. 

1 comment:

basebell6 said...

omg i'm so scared of when i go back to work because i know blaine wont nap. and he will need it when i get him up at 6 AM. blech. but he'll be 2 so he can just figure it out.

i guess i'm a lot less reflective on "what i would have done different" because i know when my next kid comes, i will be a lot older, the kid will be TOTALLY different and will respond differently to things, and i will have forgotten by then anyhow! ;)

you did great this year!

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