Lilypie First Birthday tickers

Lilypie First Birthday tickers

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Weeks like this week make me feel

Thankful.  Proud. Like a good momma.

Here is why.

I have been slowing down, really taking in the moments with Isabel. There have been so many little moments that just make me smile.

Here are few:
1. 'Sorry mama' Isabel looks into my eyes and says sorry if she thinks she has hurt me or if I cry (not often)
2. 'sicle? mama' Isabel loves popsicles and I don't even mind the stick mess it makes
3. Isabel loves her family, I love watching her give kisses and hugs to her family and talk about them even when we are not with them, and asks 'mimi'. 'auntie', 'nuno'?
4. Watching Isabel experience new things like jumping waves at the beach, floating in her life jacket at the lake and getting braver in the water
5. Watching her face light up on her first boat right with 'mimi' and great 'papa', loved that sweet moment in Maine.
6. Watching Isabel run around galloping after the dogs in the yard and giggling with glee
7. When she makes funny faces at dinner that made my MIL laugh so hard, harder than we have laughed in a while.
8. Seeing Isabel grow and change every day, including her word explosion, its turning into little phrases like 'beach, yay, ' waffles, mama', 'go outside'?
9. Listening to Isabel's conversations in her sleep
10. Picking her up from school and feeling her wrap her arms around me (she's starting to go 1x week until the far).

I have been struggling lately because staying home with a busy strong willed toddler is hard.  She tests my patiences, she has been trying to pinch me when she is angry and she has temper tantrums.

I want to be a good mom, that provides love, compassion and nurturing but also discipline and structure.  I want to be 'present' not just physically as much as I can. It is easy to use a TV show or my iPhone to escape during the day to give me a mental break but for the most part, I am there being her mom.

I know that if I can be consistent and remember the bigger picture, I will be able to do this!  This week, I feel like we are hitting our stride, we have fun activities and good family time and our days go by so fast.  At first I felt like when we started the start of the summer I it felt like it was going to be long.  Now I feel like every day goes by so fast, I actually miss her when she is asleep. Ha.

So I embrace these little moments and enjoy them and even feel like a good mom once in a while ;-)


Jess said...

You are the BEST mom to the munchkin, the BEST ever. Never ever question that sis, seriously. I LOVE seeing the bond she has with you, the bond she's growing with 'mimi' and the bond she's growing with her aunTIE's and uncles. It's the sweetest. I seriously can't get enough of her kisses and hugs, she is so compassionate and loving and warm...just like her mama. xoxoxo

Jolene said...

awww! this brings tears to my eyes. You are raising such a smart, happy, confident little girl and I LOVE all the changes I saw in her on Tuesday! She is growing up so fast and gaining such a personality, I just love it. You are giving her the right amount of space to flourish and that's a hard balance. Love you sis, so proud :)