Do you remember Rissa a year ago?
I do. I marveled at how fast she was growing, her love of books and all things Yo Gabba Gabba. Her desire to learn and her enthusiasm for music.
From an early age I sensed a stubborn persistence behind those chubby cheeks and bright eyes. Some days her insistence on her way can take its toll on me, other days it’s adorable as I’m reminded that our time together is fleeting.
“I want to do it myself, mommy!” Her hand on her little hip.
I want to let her figure things out, but my impatience gets in the way. Or I see her frustration.
“Can I help you?”
“NO, MOMMY! I want to do it myself first.”
I try to pick and choose my battles. I usually win when it comes to hair combing and teeth brushing. She tries but these are two areas where I need to follow up her efforts.
Rockin’ her own style… like a boss!
Finally we are making some headway in her allowing me to actually do something with her hair. We started with “Pretties” (barrette clips) and have moved on to headbands. My real triumph was a ponytail that lasted for an hour the other day.
A nice pose before she pretends to be an alien.
She’s not too picky about clothes just yet, but I know that’s coming. It’s mostly little things that she can exert control over in her ever changing world. She’ll demand to be changed before her brother, request specific songs to be sung or foods to eat, and she tries to steal “my spot.”
Worse than the cats, I tell ya.
Like meltdown inducing (for both of us). It’s kind of ridiculous…
There are times her desire to be independent gets her in trouble, like when I ask her to do something and she tells me, “No, mommy, you do it yourself.” Usually the look gets an apology and compliance. Honestly though, most times when I ask her to do something she’s happy to do it especially if I emphasize the help part. She wants to be helpful and be a part of the family. Without specifically telling her that everyone has to pitch in, she has picked up on that.
Curiosity and the discovery of a new skill (like opening the front door) create quite a stir.
Now every time I look at her, I see a little girl who’s growing up – not a baby. She even tells me “I’m growing up, mama!” Too fast, I say.. too fast.
What things have your kids been doing lately to show you how much they’ve grown?
Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.
Tahlia B.
Thursday 16th of May 2013
Ugh! When I read about you & Rissa, I know my daughter and I are not that far behind. I keep telling people I am sad to not see a baby anymore, but then there's this smart little girl starting to emerge that makes me so proud. Staying at home has made the days and nights seem never ending, time really does fly though!
Liza @ Views From the 'Ville
Wednesday 15th of May 2013
We get the "No, I'll do it myself!" refrain many times per day. I know it's good for her to figure things out on her own - and while it might take her some frustration, she generally does get there.
Everything she does lately shows me how much she's grown - it makes me a tiny bit sad it's going so fast, but I'm proud of all she accomplishes :)