with my girl

My Girl and I sometimes struggle to hear each other. We’re so very different. I have to remind myself constantly that she is young, that I don’t need to correct her personality (just sometimes her manners!), that she experiences the world differently than I do. I have to try hard to understand, harder than I imagined in my hazy pre-child days of envisioning parenthood.

And so one of my goals in parenting this strong-willed, sometimes overwhelmed, throw-yourself-into-life kind of girl is that I need to be proactive in sharing moments with her. Not every moment. Just some. It’s important that we make memories together and share joy together. It's important that we talk to each other...and listen.  It’s important that sometimes we just have fun together. And it’s important that I let her be who she is.

Some moments are silly: Mommy Me skirts for Mother’s Day. We went to the fabric store together and I let her pick out any one cotton fabric she wanted. Any. I knew this was dangerous to my conservative dressing sensibility, but she was so very excited by it! And of course she picked out one of the brightest, craziest prints available (bright orange, hot pink, aqua…paisley, flowers, birds…oh my!). But it made into such a fabulous skirt for her. And yes, for me, too. Sometimes My Girl is the one to teach me.

Some moments are artsy: We did shaving cream marbling prints this week, using Artful Parent’s instructions. We’ve done this before to create small wrapping paper, but this time we used cardstock and made cards. The boy did one, too, and they turned out great!

Some moments are quiet: Reading books, for instance. We need to do more of this, at times other than just right before bed, when she’s usually reading with her Daddy, not me. Kimberlee Conway Ireton posted some book recommendations recently, and I’m excited to check some of them out. I’ve already requested a couple from the library.

Some moments are active: Throwing softballs in the yard; going to the park; walking/biking in the neighborhood. Nothing major, but using-our-bodies fun.

And lots of moments are me reveling in the things she does on her own: Focusing (focusing!!!) in the softball field and getting an out at third. Creating the most amazing 3D art – art I certainly never taught her. Learning her part for her play all by herself…and killing it! And always, always joyfully joining in others’ fun.

She’s a great, amazing girl. I hope she hears me say that enough.