Lessons Learned

If a parent tells you that having children hasn't taught them anything, well, they've got problems.  And they're lying.  And you probably shouldn't talk to them anymore.  Because you don't want to be friends with a liar.

We were out for a walk yesterday evening when I thought that I've been learning more in these last 15 months than I think I've learned in years.  And really, what I'm learning, is that a lot of things that I thought I was good at or had a good handle on, are things that I'm actually kind of bad with.  Or maybe it's just that I have to readjust how things used to be... 

Patience is a Virtue
I've always had to be a fairly patient person.  As a teacher, your level of patience is tested on a daily basis.  But with a small child, it's an every minute of every day kind of level that you have to learn to deal with.  And I've learned that I'm far from perfect, and still need a lot more patience.  Especially now that we've hit the toddler stage.  Patience really is a Virtue.  And when I need it, a few deep breaths seem to help it along.

Catholic Guilt vs. Mommy Guilt
I thought that Catholic Guilt was bad.  But Mommy Guilt?  Way worse.  Put the two together?  You might as well just give up.  I've slowly been getting better at managing my Mommy Guilt.  It's sinking in that I won't be able to do everything all the time, and sometimes things have to give.  And I remind myself on a daily basis that I'm not super-human.  But then there are days like today.  Jacob hasn't wanted to take any naps today, so it's been a fight to get him down.  He was fighting this afternoon's nap like no other, but he was finally quiet for more than 10 minutes, so I thought I'd go and make sure he was covered up and warm.  I go in, and there are blood stains on his mattress by his head.  Poor guy bumped his mouth on his crib as he was fighting sleep and bit his lip or his tongue or something.  Either way, Mommy Guilt hit -- I wasn't there to comfort him and make him feel better when he was in pain.  I passed off his earlier crying as a tantrum when it had actually been because he was hurt.  But I keep reminding myself now that there was no way I could have really known.  He's not bleeding anymore, and he's peacefully sleeping.  He's okay.  Mommy Guilt, go away.

All the World's a Stage
Everyone always tells you whenever you hit road bumps in child raising that it's nothing to worry about... it's just a stage.  Lots of baby gas?  Just a stage.  Colic?  Just a stage.  Picky eater?  Just a stage.  And although it doesn't seem like it at the time, that's really what it is -- just a stage.  I know, in your mind you're saying "See?  I told you so."  But it's also one of those things when frequent reminders are helpful.  For instance -- that nap issue that we had with Jacob?  Just a stage.  And even though he still fights naps periodically, he's much better about taking them, and for the most part, doesn't mind them.  But when that "I'm not going to nap" stage was happening?  Well, it didn't seem like much of a stage.  It felt like we were never going to get a good place.  But nine times out of ten, it really is just a stage.  So see?  I'm learning.

Ain't Nobody Got Time for That
Sometimes, you just have to say no, because there's no time for that.  It's taking some reminding, but I'm learning to put things off sometimes so that something else can happen.  Jacob is only at this age once.  He's not always going to want to climb into my lap to read a book, or ask to be picked up, or play his chase/hide-and-seek game.  So the vacuuming can wait.  And the bathrooms don't need to be cleaned this instant.  Laundry can sit in the basket.  And grading and lesson planning will be there tomorrow.  Sometimes, I just don't have time for all of that.  I've got a sweet little boy who needs my attention. 

And that's something I need to always have time for.

Making funny faces as we learn to take pictures -- we've got time for that.