Teaching and Aging

As a mother, I want to provide our daughter with opportunities. I want to provide her with the abilities to explore and discover new things. At this point in her life she will only be given the opportunities that I provide to her. I have two choices I either shelter her or let her be free.

I want her to know that there are many places we can go. I want her to know there are millions of books to be read. I want her to be empowered by people. I want her to discover her creative side. These are all things that one day I will teach her but right now I want her to know that chocolate pudding has two uses: 1) A delicious snack and 2) Finger paint.



I am a huge neat freak and I am very organized. Everything in our home has a place and I would prefer that everything remain in it's place. Some people may view this as a flaw in my personality or think I am a freak but this is me. It's always been me and will always be me. Well,I am all neat and tidy for the most part until it comes to Maddie. It's as if I have no filter, no sense of what the aftermath may be. I don't think, we just do.



Madison had a ball. She loved feeling the cool pudding squish through her fingers. She took her long fingers and rubbed it around on her tray and tried picking it up. She took her spoon and did the same. It didn't cross her mind to eat the pudding until I put some on my finger and let her taste. Then she was all about trying to get some in her mouth.



She kept taking that spoon and swirling the pudding around like she was mixing up cake batter. She then licked the spoon and said "Yum, yum, yum." I already see a little Betty Crocker emerging.



I love that I can let my guard down when it comes to Maddie. I can let loose, have a good time and worry about how we are going to clean this up later. I don't know what it is but I just want her to have opportunities. I want her to explore so much that my feelings and OCD go out the window.



So, yes, later did come and we wondered "How are we going to clean this up?" She got thrown in the tub clothes and all. I learned a very important lesson: remove clothes prior to doing something potentially messy. Rookie mom mistake, I'm still learning.

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My birthday was yesterday. The big 3-0. I am a grown up now. Ha! Yeah right. I told Ryan weeks ago that all I wanted for my birthday was to go to the park and have a picnic. Ryan packed our picnic and off to the park we went.



Unfortunately, the wind was whipping around and rain drops kept falling on our heads. Thus, no picnic only a little play time.



I still got what I wanted though....time with my two favorite people in the whole wide world. The past 30 years have been wonderful. I have learned a lot, experienced a lot and grown up a whole bunch. I have discovered who I am while becoming a woman. I am a daughter, sister, aunt, wife and mother. I still have a whole lot of living to do and I am so grateful that I've got my little gal right there with me.



Cheers to 30 more years and to 30 more after that!

Oh, Maddie also gave me a little present...she took her first step yesterday. Ryan and I both were right there to witness this milestone. She has taken a few more since then. I can't believe it! Best present ever!

Lots of love....