On Her Own

Independence.  So hard.  Until I became a parent, I never realized all the amazing, little, tiny things we learn to do as we grow.  Little things are sometimes harder than the big things.  Lately around our house I have been trying to encourage Doodle to dress and undress herself.  I want her to be slightly more independent when Poppy arrives, but don't want her to notice that anything has changed.  So we are slowly making her do more on her own before the baby comes.  The biggest challenge of this whole process is not the kiddo.  It's me.  I have had to force myself to sit on my hands.  I have had to plan extra time for her to do it herself.  Most of all I have had to stifle a lot of giggles and snorts as she figures things out herself.  She may not do it the conventional way, but in the end she usually gets where she wants to be.  Even if it means rolling on the floor to take off her coat!

January 11 (174/365)