Milestones
This week I discovered that there are the milestones we watch and wait for. And then there are "others."
There are the standard ones: smiling...rolling over...sitting up...walking...saying the first word. As time goes on, we look forward to hearing our little ones string words together, learn new concepts, and play with others. Those are the kinds of milestones any mom can list off. She knows those milestones are coming and she's on the look-out for them.
But then there are the "other ones." I mean, as a new mom, it didn't occur to me that I would look forward to the day a bib was no longer needed for every meal. Or the day when Honeygirl would start clearing her dishes when she was done eating. How about the day Sweet Pea started saying, "bless you, Mommy," when I blew my nose? Nope, didn't see that one coming either, but it sure is precious! Or the day we managed to capture a photo of both girls sitting on the same bench, and smiling at the same time.
And then this week, I realized we had met a new milestone once again. It happened when I heard the pitter patter of little feet in the night. I was still downstairs on the couch. The little feet walked from the bedroom to the bathroom above me. A short while later, I heard the flush of the toilet, followed by running water in the sink. Yep, that was unmistakably my almost 4 year old waking up and taking herself to the bathroom all by herself in the middle of the night. Who knew one could get so excited by a milestone you didn't even know you were waiting for?!?
I've heard it's important to celebrate the "lasts." Life happens so fast. The milestones, whether expected or not, come quick. So this week, I will celebrate that changing sheets in the night is hopefully over. And I will celebrate that unless dinner is particularly messy, Sweet Pea can skip the bib. I will celebrate the sweet words I hear when blowing my nose, even though it also reminds me I have an unfortunate cold. And I will be on the lookout for even the unexpected milestones.
There are the standard ones: smiling...rolling over...sitting up...walking...saying the first word. As time goes on, we look forward to hearing our little ones string words together, learn new concepts, and play with others. Those are the kinds of milestones any mom can list off. She knows those milestones are coming and she's on the look-out for them.
But then there are the "other ones." I mean, as a new mom, it didn't occur to me that I would look forward to the day a bib was no longer needed for every meal. Or the day when Honeygirl would start clearing her dishes when she was done eating. How about the day Sweet Pea started saying, "bless you, Mommy," when I blew my nose? Nope, didn't see that one coming either, but it sure is precious! Or the day we managed to capture a photo of both girls sitting on the same bench, and smiling at the same time.
And then this week, I realized we had met a new milestone once again. It happened when I heard the pitter patter of little feet in the night. I was still downstairs on the couch. The little feet walked from the bedroom to the bathroom above me. A short while later, I heard the flush of the toilet, followed by running water in the sink. Yep, that was unmistakably my almost 4 year old waking up and taking herself to the bathroom all by herself in the middle of the night. Who knew one could get so excited by a milestone you didn't even know you were waiting for?!?
I've heard it's important to celebrate the "lasts." Life happens so fast. The milestones, whether expected or not, come quick. So this week, I will celebrate that changing sheets in the night is hopefully over. And I will celebrate that unless dinner is particularly messy, Sweet Pea can skip the bib. I will celebrate the sweet words I hear when blowing my nose, even though it also reminds me I have an unfortunate cold. And I will be on the lookout for even the unexpected milestones.
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