10 year Plan

I have felt lucky that during the first year of Camille's life I feel as if I had this motherhood thing down pretty good. Sure I hit a few bumps along the road, but it was nothing that a quick call to a supportive sister now and then couldn't help clear up.

But since Camille turned one, I have myself questioning everything because Camille refused to do anything a one year old was supposed to do. Now here I was searching and asking for answers to problems that no one around me had ever run into with their own children. The only consolation that helped was all the shoot from the hip approaches that the expert say to try, I had tried, although they all failed, at least I knew to try them.

I have been worried.

I knew she was "alright", there was nothing developmentally wrong with her. I just didn't know how to make her do the things she was supposed to do and just when I thought we were on the right track with one thing, she would refuse another.

She didn't want to walk. She didn't want to drink out of anything but her bottle. Then she didn't want to drink anything from her bottle. She only wanted to drink from one particular cup but would only drink water and refused to drink milk.

Two weeks ago she decided, on her own, apart from any encouragement from D or myself, that walking was fun. She just got up one night and started walking from the couch to the kitchen. Each day she just went further and further.

Friday she asked for her baba (aka: cup). I put milk in it, deciding it was worth a try. She drank the cup. And not only did she drink the milk out of her particular cup, she decided to drink milk out of every cup she turned away just 6 days earlier.

She has taught me a valuable lesson in parenting her. She will catch on in her own time, in her own way and that the rule of thumb I had during her infant days will have to apply in these toddler days: Stop reading, stop analyzing and just let her be who she is and love and cherish her through it. I've realized that if I'm going to worry like this now, I can only imagine how I will feel 10 years down the road. This parenting things will not get easier, each stage comes with it's challenges. Just when you think you're on top of things, another curve ball will be thrown your way and the best you can do and be relaxed enough that when you have to go chase after it, you've saved up all your energy!

I know, I know...you mothers of 2 or 3 or 4 are shaking your heads at me laughing that I'm just now catching on. But you first time Mom's? Learn your lesson from me.