I struggled to come up with a topic for this week’s column. Things have been quiet lately in my new-parent realm.
My daughter is nearly 1, and she’s doing well in all developmental, behavioral and growth categories. Reese is about to start walking. She’s communicating more clearly every day. She’s eating a sufficient amount of healthy food. She’s fun to interact with, and her responses are right on target for her age. Our pediatrician is happy with her progress and good health. And my husband and I, of course, are thrilled things are going so splendidly.
As I thought long and hard about a conflict or challenge to write about this week, it dawned on me that perhaps my lack of problems is what I should focus on.
Not only is Reese doing well, my husband and I finally feel like we have a handle on this parenting thing. Now, I won’t get too carried away — we both know we still have plenty to learn, and the road will be long and difficult. But for now, at least, I think we’ve arrived at a comfortable place. We’ve got a routine down. We understand what Reese wants and needs depending on the urgency, frequency and volume of her cries, babbles and shrieks. We know what foods she’ll accept and which ones she’ll hurl across the room or feed to the dog. We know which toys she most enjoys playing with. We know how to get her to sleep at a reasonable time. And, as an added bonus, I’ve even picked up a few handy skills, such as how to get set-in food stains out of white onesies and methods for packing about a month’s worth of baby clothes, toys, diapers, snacks and other supplies into a single diaper bag.
Feeling like we’re finally on solid footing is nice, and my husband and I look forward to learning even more as we go. Who would’ve thought a tiny little person who hasn’t yet mastered the ability to speak could teach us so much in such a short time?