So I have been thinking lately, as each day it seems as though Evelyn is bigger (tear) and getting more and more personality, she has these amazing little quirks about her. Evelyn is very much like her mommy and daddy. Many of the qualities that I love about Mike, I also don't like about Mike, if that makes sense... I know I have many qualities that my family has always been frustrated with, and now Mike gets to deal with those fun things. Qualities such as stubbornness, strong minded, determined, knowing (mostly) what you want, lack of patience, these are all qualities I have (Mike too mostly) and I see them shinning brighter than ever in Evelyn everyday! But now we have made this little person, and WOW, she is so much like us! I sometime feel awe-stricken... it truly is amazing to be a parent. There is this cloud of pressure, like wow I have to raise a person, not only make sure they are healthy but good, kind, fair, successful... and I feel like parents are a really key part of what makes a good person. But at the same time, the amount of love I feel for this little girl, (I really feel like my chest could burst sometimes because of the amount of love) I feel like it is false sense of security cause how could anything go wrong if you love someone so much.
I know there are different styles of parenting, and methods to follow, or books to read, but Mike and I take a very 'natural' approach. We kind of go off our instincts. We are fortunate to have great parents and we can use our experiences and their teachings to guide us in raising Evelyn, add a huge dose of love, sprinkles of laughter and dashes of fun and large amounts of understanding and limitless forgiving and I feel like our recipe is working pretty well! :)
On that note, I feel like Evelyn has been having some separation issues as of late. At home she wants to be by Mike and I at all times, which is fine and understandable. When we drop her off at the sitters for the day, lately she has been very clingy to me and cries, this just breaks my heart, I know she loves it there, and she will be fine just 5 mins after we leave, but I am sad to leave her too! Additionally just this week she has started to not want to fall asleep on her own in her crib (very unusual for her), she has needed to be either in my arms rocking her or laying next to Mike or I in our bed. I feel like I have other parent's voices in my head or other things I have heard or read that say 'don't do that', 'they need sleep on their own', 'it is a bad habit'; and I do see that side of things, but Mike and I can both not stand listening to our little girl be so upset (she cries really hard if we try to let her 'cry it out', which is not a good method for Mike and I, plus she now screams 'mommy' which breaks my heart). So if I have to rock her to sleep every night for a few weeks till this separation anxiety faze passes, or if I have to do it regularly, so be it, I will take any extra cuddle time 'cause babies don't keep'. And if I have to share my bed sometimes with a cuddly cute little girl, that isn't so bad, there could be worst things, frankly I feel pretty blessed, and I want her to want to be by me as long as she wants to! Life is good, and parenting is awesome! :)
 |
| Our little snuggle bug, she is becoming more of a snuggler, and we don't complain! :) |
 |
| Yes we let her sleep in our bed sometimes, but look at how cute she is, how could you not! :) |
 |
| It is not like we don't share with Indy... here our baby and fur-baby are sleeping in while mommy and daddy get ready for work! |
Eveyone has there own way of raising a child. There is no right or wrong way. You both are doing a great job and your daughter, is so much a combination of the both of the you that she will be just as awsome as you both are. So enjoy the time of her being close to you because they grow up so fast.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are amazing parents and your blog is so friggin' cute. Don't listen to those voices in your head, the best way to raise your child is YOUR way, not someone else's or how you see other people do it.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with co-sleeping. We do it, EVERY NIGHT and wouldn't change it for the world. And it was Justin who wanted us to. We call it our family bed. He knows how to sleep in his crib, he does it everyday for naps but at night we like him with us. So don't you worry about any bad habits, all habits (if it would be one) can be broken when the time is right. Just snuggle that little sweetheart because you're right, babies don't keep! :) See you guys soon, can't wait to catch up!