“My baby is sleeping through the night.”
“My baby is grabbing onto toys.”
“My baby is rolling over.”
Well, MY baby isn’t doing any of those things.
Does that mean something is wrong with her? No. Does it mean that I’m not doing a good job as a mom? No.
So, what does it mean?
Absolutely nothing! It means nothing. And I’ve had to remind myself of that. I can’t compare my baby to other babies. And I can’t compare myself as a mom to other moms. It’s okay if Norah’s not sleeping through the night yet. That just means more snuggles and more time together–just the two of us. Maybe she’s not grabbing at toys just yet, but man! she loves books. She has her own personality, and I just love seeing it come out a little more every day.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that I want other moms to stop bragging about their little ones’ achievements. Believe me, as soon as Norah sleeps through the night for the first time every single person in the blogging/ facebook/ social media world will know about it.
I think it’s great that we share our victories with each other. I think it’s important that we celebrate them together. But, in order to do that, we need to come to a place of complete understanding and acceptance of one very important fact: my baby is not your baby, and that’s okay!
Don’t be discouraged if your baby is still waking up two, three, four times at night. Don’t panic if your baby isn’t rolling over by this time or crawling by that. Let your baby be who they are. Love them and encourage them. And, while you’re at it, encourage the other mamas around you. Celebrate with them. Cry with them. Feel their pain and their excitement. Because being a parent is hard and there’s no one-size-fits-all guide to raising a baby.
Your baby is perfect for you, and you are perfect for them. That’s why they’re your baby. I am the best person in the world to care for Norah. And she is and always will be my little girl. She’ll hit her milestones and in the blink of an eye, she’ll be walking, talking, running, going to school… If she wants to take her time, I’m okay with that. I’m just going to soak up every moment and be in that moment completely.
So, tell me mamas–What awesome thing did your baby do today? I want to celebrate with you!!