I’m sitting here on my kitchen floor, eating leftovers, watching my (almost) 8 month old daughter explore the new scenery. (I actually have found that the kitchen setup is wonderful, WAY less trouble for her to get into than in the living room, since all she can reach are closed cabinets and the pots, pans, and cups I lay out on the floor.) As I watch her, I can’t help but to think “man, I wish I had her determination!” She is a tough little cookie, and no matter how many times she bonks her head, face plants, or bites the dust, she just keeps on exploring… Pushing beyond her comfort zone, learning new skills, and improving them with each passing day!
I can remember “attempting” to learn how to skim board on the beach one summer – I fell once on my sweet derrière and called it quits! How many times in our adult life do we quit once we are met with any sort of difficulty or bump in the road?? How many times do we avoid tying new things because it’s “scary” and outside of our comfort zone??
She inspires me. I want to have the determination and courage of my daughter. She is fearless. Of course she experiences bumps and bruises, cries when she falls, and shoots you that nervous glance… but a quick kiss from mommy or a hug from daddy when the going is tough, and then suddenly she is on her way again.
Sometimes, I really would love to put her in a bubble wrapped room, so I can catch a breather! But, children are amazingly resilient. As long as you provide the environment for them to learn to trust the world around them, they grow up with the confidence that they can do anything and try anything! That is something I hope to mirror in my adult relationships. I hope to be the support system that gives my husband, siblings, parents, friends that confidence that they can take on the world. I’ll be there to kiss their bumps and bruises too, and then send them on their way. There are many lessons to be learned by the example of a child. Their innocence and purity is proof of their authenticity, and one of the many reasons God tells us in scripture to “become like children”.
So anyway, I am LOVING this stage of G’s life. Challenging, yes. Teething is a total b**** lol. But overall it’s awesome, her day is full of little conquests – like crawling over the dog, attempting to scale the STONE fireplace hearth (gasp), or pull up on everything and anything. I love watching her explore and learn new things, like how to wave bye bye to daddy, or put her hands up when she is “all done” in her high chair. It’s going by so fast. I really have made an effort to live and appreciate each season of life, day by day. She has reminded me to slow down and appreciate the little things, to cherish those sweet moments of discovery, or the times she chooses to crawl into my lap and just snuggle there, and even those middle of the night nurse-fests.
xox – J
