My baby girl is a senior!

Today my daughter started Senior Kindergarten. It seems like yesterday she started Junior Kindergarten…suddenly she seems so grown up. So many tears at drop off, as parents dropped their first-born off to JK, I used to be that mom. Now I am excited! New year, new friends to meet, old friends to reconnect with. She is excited too.

I am also a little sad. She doesn’t like to snuggle on my lap anymore. No more middle of the night feedings and snuggles. She is growing so fast, and the things I didn’t relish, I now miss. She used to eat what I fed her. She has her own tastes now, and none of them what I am serving. Even though I don’t like making a separate meal for her now…one day, I will miss doing that.

I am trying to raise her to be kind, compassionate, and friendly. She is shy most of the time, but I love hearing how she opens up when I am not around. She has such fantastic teachers, and she has blossomed so much over the last couple of years. I am trying to teach her about differences. To enjoy the fact we are not all the same. I think she gets it. Time will tell.

I am excited to see what this new year holds for her, and I will relish the quiet times alone we share, when she can open up about the things she loves, or the things that frighten her.

Long time, no see...

It is time to get back into it.  I love to write, why do I have a hard time actually writing?  I don’t know.  I get lots of encouragement to write, and I think it is high time I get back to it. No excuses.

                                                                                    

I sometimes wonder if my reluctance is fear.  Fear of criticism.  Problem is, criticism is required to improve oneself; but it must be delivered with encouragement.  Criticism is funny. If you criticize too much or too often, one can lose faith in oneself.  He loses hope, ambition, and the love of what he enjoys.  At the same time criticism, when dealt with respect and encouragement, can have the opposite effect.  Giving then, someone hope, ambition, and a self-love that is often difficult to achieve alone.

So here I am.  Ripping off the Band-Aid, and opening myself up to criticism.  I am not so naive as to think I am free from judgment, rather the contrary.  Judge me.  Help me to grow and learn.  We can only learn, and better ourselves by making mistakes – good or bad.

I promise to write more.  I also promise I will get better. Stick with me, this will be a fun ride!