Day One August First

Though I have two days until her 12th birthday I can already see the changes. We did survive the our first year of middle school, with the family surviving my first year of nursing school. But my quiet, social awkward baby was streaming lining her way to moody and attitude-ness.

To her credit she gets her solitude from me and her father. We like to spend time with people and socialize but we also like our alone time. She turned that time into drawing and creating the most unique creatures we had ever seen. Unfortunately I am the eldest of four and when I am social I love it and thrive. I sometimes get things immediately, its almost as if everything comes to me naturally. My husband the baby of the family was happy to blend in with the background and not be noticed.

We were excited like most soon to be parents. Pregnancy went well, no trouble delivering and we didn't go overboard with spoiling with our precious little girl. We tried not to get too excited when she became Ms. Picky eater. We held on to our cool when she let her fear of balloons almost paralyze her at school.

We knew enough to know that all kids are unique and that you can't let yourself stress out over every little thing.

Well just because I am a mom doesn't mean I cease to be human. Where was it written we had to satisfy every whim of our child. My parents didn't and neither did my husband's parents. We weren't going to either. She was just going to have to get over it when we said no.

At school things seemed to go well. We tried tap, ballet and going to summer camp. Either way she is a very blessed little girl.

After trying for another baby and a loss, our son arrived a month before her 8th birthday. We had harmony. Making sure to take time out with her so she didn't feel left out with the new baby in the house.

The peace would cease once our son decided he was as old as his sister and wanted to do everything that she did. Their adventures would usually work out but she soon began to act like she didn't want him around.

So I stepped back and began to look at my patient levels. Being in school and working were stressing me to a new level so I started to revisit my parenting skills. We strove to be fair and not let our emotions dictate discipline.

So now we stand on the brink of a new adventure where she starts to want more independence and we work to shape and mold her into the woman she is supposed to be.

I knew this day was coming. I don't like the attitudes but I know that if I can maintain being a patient teacher, I can help her express herself in an appropriate manner and still feel respected by me and her father.

Let the challenge begin........