Persistent

It's the one word that describes E these days. I can remove her from playing in the dogs' water twenty times, and guaranteed she will go back the twenty-first time for one more splash.

This weekend I was so frustrated when all of my attempts to get her to stop pinching Titus were failing miserably. It didn't matter what I did, she kept coming back to pick on the poor dog. I complained to Chou who reminded me how incredibly important persistence and strong will are at this age. In The Baby Book, Dr. Sears shares that a strong will is actually a sign of health and without it a baby would not have the desire to get up and try walking again after falling every time she's tried in the past. 

As I go get E out of the dogs' water again, I need to keep reminding myself that this trying spirit is the very nature that will help her to learn so much in the coming months. However, it doesn't mean it's enjoyable for me right now. It's downright frustrating!

Which is why this post really hit home yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I love being a mom. I warn Chou that I love being a mom so much that I plan on having nine more kids :) E is just that awesome. But I have to admit that having a grumpy, teething, rarely sleeping day or night baby who keeps doing the very thing I don't want her to does not bring out the best in me. It more often brings out the worst. Maybe, just maybe, this burst of persistence is about more than enabling E to achieve developmental milestones. Maybe it's about me, too. About me learning patience. About me learning to be just as gentle the twenty-first time as I was the first time. And I should probably learn it now before the terrible twos and threes come :)

Puppy Love