Sitting on the couch with my father in law this past Sunday, we got to talking about how Lucy was doing. I mentioned that it was stressful that she wouldn't take a bottle when I was gone. That led to a discussion about how young parents are constantly comparing their babies and children; it's a natural thing to do, but it can put undue stress on parents. I can already see how this happens in the size percentiles and developmental milestone comparisons people make...as if inches and pounds indicate anything about what kind of person this baby will be! Or as if our babies' sizes somehow reflects on the quality of our milk...etc. (Lucy is a big, healthy baby...but that's all that it means! She could be a big baby, and end up short like me, or tall like Josh). And so what if she walks or talks or rolls or is potty-trained earlier or later than whatever the average is! Josh's dad reminded me that when she grows up, we might remember when she did, but it won't matter...she's going to do all these things eventually. He said that if he could do it again, he wouldn't worry about things like that so much - the most important thing is just to love them, and provide a loving family environment. Do what works for you as a parent, don't be too impacted by the judgment or criticism of others, and withhold judgment on other parents who choose do things differently.
It is fun to appreciate them for exactly what they are in the moment each day.
ANYWAY, she laughed for the first time yesterday, and it was awesome.
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