Parenting amuses me. Especially the difference between being a mom the first time vs the second time around. The first time around I would sit by my sleeping sick kiddo wishing they were awake & laughing, but would never do anything: read, text, breath… anything! I would just stay frozen in fear hoping for better hours ahead.
Then comes your second…& without realizing how you’ve changed, you realize your a better parent than before, for mostly all the wrong reasons.lol.Today I was within 10 ft of Leela all day, but computered away, texted, talked, etc. Now Im chilling on my 8 year olds bed, still staring at her sleep, watching her breath, but also grateful for the break, thankful even in her pain she is still so dang healthy, contemplating what is considered deep thoughts when its past 4pm & you have 3 young kids, like…should I get a bunkbed myself, this is perhaps the coolest fort ever!
For me, I am so grateful God gave me round two of parenting. I was THAT helicopter mom with my boys, with a type A personality to the limit & knew I was doing a better job than any other mom I knew. Now, I’ve been humble-fied, realize I’m most likely doing everything wrong, tend to yell don’t get blood on my couch at the first sign of screaming, am completely transparent with them while realizing that will back-fire strongly come jr. high years…but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I love the way I raised my boys & love the way Im raising my daughter, but they are also not being raised by the ‘same’ mom. I am messier now, screw way more things up, love harder, dig deeper, & give them & me more grace than I ever did the first time around. What I would do to relive it all again though..I wouldn’t change a thing, but I could realize to savor these lost days like today so much more than I did so many times before…
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