of control...it is hard for me. ahhhhh....breathe. Every day I am more and more amazed at what Jovie is learning and imitating. It's actually kinda scary- she is getting so independent and that is giving me mixed emotions. I am starting to understand why parents make such a big deal out of their kids growing up...it's sad...the feelings of not being needed is hard for me. I LOVE feeling needed. I'm sure we all do to some extent. Maybe it's just today...I don't know. I just love being with her- seeing her smile and giggle...and see the look of accomplishment on her face when she walks across the entire length of the house without falling!
I've never had a problem with getting messy...I just have a hard time when Jovie gets messy. I don't know why. Maybe I just don't like the cleanup part...like it's one extra step. But lately, I'm really just trying to let go of my incessant need for total order and let Jovie just BE A KID! Jovie loves the outdoors (honestly, would that be so strange as she is my child!) and she is finally starting to like sand, dirt and grass (she hasn't liked the feeling of it on her hands from an early age- like 6 months old). Trips to the park are paying off! Well, especially now that she is completely walking- that only took 17 months!! Sheesh. So now she loves digging out in the "yard" (if you could really call a 5'x20' plot of rocks, yard) and playing in the dirt from the garden and planter boxes. I love watching her.
She is so amazed at what she can do with her hands. It's funny. It's funny even when she gets dirt in her hair, on her clothes, and when it sticks to her face.
This would NOT have been funny to me a few months ago. And no, it's not laziness that is plaguing me. I just want her to experience everything that I grew up doing and usually loving. It's only fair. And it's all because I love her.
5 comments:
i had to learn to let go of that exact same thing.
who cares if she gets dirty or ruins her clothes, those stains are worth the biggest smiles on my girls' faces.
Yay! She's walking! Kolea started walking just after she turned a year old- so the beginning of September! It would've driven me nuts- 17 months! Way to go to let her get dirty. She can always take a bath. =)
How Fun! love your pictures!! you will be so much happier (I think) if you continue to let her do her own thing--explore...and become more independent...I personally love that I can be a little more lazy (although I always tried to tell myself it was teaching independence! :) ...but I have some great preschool stories I can share with you sometime where I can see the difference in children who are allowed to be "free" at home...and those who are totally controlled or parents do EVERYTHING for them (down to wiping there bum...EVERYTIME...when they are 4 :))
She will be a much happier child...i guarantee it...and I still haevn't finished love and logic and I can't remember if you read it or not...but I think this is right up there alley too--so good job!!!
what would it be like to have a child that likes to get their hands dirty? it's going to take a lot of work for me to find out.
so mandy, love this post. i read an article recently about this very thing. they say (whoever "they" are) that we are putting too much stress into our kids these days to learn numbers, letters, and us talking to other moms about how early my child did this and that. but "the experts" say that children learn more from playing outside in the dirt than we could ever teach them about book smartness. they need to experience textures and what it feels like to have sand in their crevices!! they need to play in the sun and laugh and enjoy life!! (if only we could embrace this for ourselves!! :) ) You're doing awesome, Mandy. You're a wonderful mama.
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