Loving the Little Years

As a parent you hear all these horror stories about raising kids.  They begin before your child is even here --- "you're considering natural birth? you're crazy that baby hurts like heck!", "be ready for never having a social life again", "you'll quickly find out just how little sleep you can survive on", "you're never going to have money again", "just wait until she is 15 and dating" or my personal favorite "one day she is going to hate you and you'll wish for the terrible two's back!"

I admit, I have caught myself a time or two being one of those mom's who states the negatives about raising children and I catch myself and often wonder why we constantly find it necessary to scare new parents away from the joy a child brings to your life. Sometimes all we need is a fresh perspective on our circumstances and God's grace to get us through to the next morning.

Parenting a toddler is hard, it is exhausting, it is frustrating, it is tiring.  But, parenting a toddler is also exciting, funny, rewarding and uplifting.  The last 4 months have been some of the hardest I have faced with Hadley.  She has tested my limits to the outer most edges and when I thought I could not take another minute God gave me just a little more patience.  I fully understand the reason why households should have two parents --- TAG TEAM.  I find that God grants one of us with a little more grace, a little more love and a little more patience than the other every day.  And, thankfully, Will and I know very early on which of us is the one having that day.  So, when the tantrums begin, the tears fly, and the toys are thrown we look at each other and instantly know who is going to be able to calm Hadley down in the most productive way possible.

I want to start this New Year off with every intention of relishing in the small victories and the big smiles --- Loving the Little Years.