My daughter turned 4 years old today! It's hard to believe that so much time has passed. It's true what they say, time flies when you're having fun.
When I look back over the 4 years though, and even the 9 months prior, there are definitely things that people don't tell you. Either that, or you just don't really listen. Here's what I have learned as a parent....and am still learning!
1. At some point, you will physically hurt your child.
This will NOT be on purpose. If it is on purpose, then please seek some help. My first experience with this was cutting my brand-new baby girl's fingernails for the first time ever. I cut her finger, she started crying, I started crying, she started bleeding, I started crying more. The bleeding stopped and she stopped crying, but I was distraught and called my husband in tears that I had cut our baby and that I was a terrible mom. I eventually gathered myself and finished cutting her nails and have not done that since, but I still get nervous every time I cut her nails. Bottom line is, you will both get over it and it will be okay!
2. Your child will learn how to do something at the worst time or in the worst way.
We try to teach our kids various things as they get older. We teach them words, body parts, how to go potty on the toilet, etc. Let me give you an example of this from my own life. It took us a full year to teach our daughter to go potty on the toilet. We worked with her, and we tried everything everybody told us. She wanted no part of it. Finally, she mastered the art of going potty in the toilet....days before we were set to move (aka drive) across country! We did not want to discourage her potty training, so we knew that we had to stop every 2-3 hours on our already almost 24 hour car trip. Yeah, it's gonna happen.
3. You will be so proud of the strangest things.
As parents, we are naturally proud of our children. But when you become a parent, you will find yourself cheering out loud for the craziest of things. We have cheered and probably even announced on Facebook that our little girl went poopy in the potty. You will be so happy the first time she picks out her own outfit, even when she pairs striped shorts with a polka dot blouse, flower socks, and a pair of dress shoes. But you will tell her it looks marvelous because she picked it out and got dressed all by herself.
4. Toots are universally funny.
I had always heard that you need to be ok with toots being funny if you have a boy. Well, I'm here to tell you, this is not specific to boys. Girls think that toots are funny too! In fact, for my daughter's 4th birthday party, she wants a Shrek and Fiona party. We had to go buy Toots balloons (aka whoopie cushions) for the party because that's what Shrek and Fiona do.
5. Your ability to deal with smells and messes, improves greatly!
Before I had kids, I would gag a little when having to clean up poopy diapers or throw up. Now, don't get me wrong, I still do that when I'm cleaning up after other people. But, I have no problem cleaning up after my kids. That's not saying that their bodily functions aren't gross; in fact, some are downright nasty. But there is something with cleaning up after your own kid that changes things. Maybe it's because you know that they need you, or maybe it's because you can look past it because you love them. It doesn't matter if you are sick and throwing up too. If your child needs you, you somehow find that little bit of strength left to do what needs doing.
Kids are amazing! I learn new things every day about my kids. We are 4 years in, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I'm so interested to see what else I will learn about being a parent as the years pass. But for today, I just sat back and let my daughter take the lead; it's amazing what happens when you do.
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| All ready for school on her 4th Birthday! |
1. At some point, you will physically hurt your child.
This will NOT be on purpose. If it is on purpose, then please seek some help. My first experience with this was cutting my brand-new baby girl's fingernails for the first time ever. I cut her finger, she started crying, I started crying, she started bleeding, I started crying more. The bleeding stopped and she stopped crying, but I was distraught and called my husband in tears that I had cut our baby and that I was a terrible mom. I eventually gathered myself and finished cutting her nails and have not done that since, but I still get nervous every time I cut her nails. Bottom line is, you will both get over it and it will be okay!
2. Your child will learn how to do something at the worst time or in the worst way.
We try to teach our kids various things as they get older. We teach them words, body parts, how to go potty on the toilet, etc. Let me give you an example of this from my own life. It took us a full year to teach our daughter to go potty on the toilet. We worked with her, and we tried everything everybody told us. She wanted no part of it. Finally, she mastered the art of going potty in the toilet....days before we were set to move (aka drive) across country! We did not want to discourage her potty training, so we knew that we had to stop every 2-3 hours on our already almost 24 hour car trip. Yeah, it's gonna happen.
3. You will be so proud of the strangest things.
As parents, we are naturally proud of our children. But when you become a parent, you will find yourself cheering out loud for the craziest of things. We have cheered and probably even announced on Facebook that our little girl went poopy in the potty. You will be so happy the first time she picks out her own outfit, even when she pairs striped shorts with a polka dot blouse, flower socks, and a pair of dress shoes. But you will tell her it looks marvelous because she picked it out and got dressed all by herself.
4. Toots are universally funny.
I had always heard that you need to be ok with toots being funny if you have a boy. Well, I'm here to tell you, this is not specific to boys. Girls think that toots are funny too! In fact, for my daughter's 4th birthday party, she wants a Shrek and Fiona party. We had to go buy Toots balloons (aka whoopie cushions) for the party because that's what Shrek and Fiona do.
5. Your ability to deal with smells and messes, improves greatly!
Before I had kids, I would gag a little when having to clean up poopy diapers or throw up. Now, don't get me wrong, I still do that when I'm cleaning up after other people. But, I have no problem cleaning up after my kids. That's not saying that their bodily functions aren't gross; in fact, some are downright nasty. But there is something with cleaning up after your own kid that changes things. Maybe it's because you know that they need you, or maybe it's because you can look past it because you love them. It doesn't matter if you are sick and throwing up too. If your child needs you, you somehow find that little bit of strength left to do what needs doing.
Kids are amazing! I learn new things every day about my kids. We are 4 years in, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I'm so interested to see what else I will learn about being a parent as the years pass. But for today, I just sat back and let my daughter take the lead; it's amazing what happens when you do.
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