Another birthday is on the horizon in our family. My 8-year-old will turn 9 tomorrow. It is always hard to believe how your children get older so quickly, but this year I am choosing to look at the positive and focus on how his existence has made all our lives in a higher level of fulfillment! He has matured right under our noses and as sad as that makes me in some ways, it just fills me with pride.
Before C was born, from an only child's perspective, I thought how one could possibly love more than 1 child completely. I had been able to give my mind and soul to my older son for 4 years, and now I was that love would be split in half. How could it work? How could I take love away from my oldest, D? How could it possibly be fair?
When C was born our lives changed yet again, and everything I thought I knew about parenting was thrown out the window. I quickly realized that my fears were silly and incorrect. It is not splitting up of love but rather an expansion of how much love you are able to give out. C taught me pretty early on in his life that my heart can expand 100 times over. It is one of his greatest gifts to me.
As C has grown up, his gifts to us continue. He resembles me both physically and mentally. He mirrors back my good and bad qualities - which remind me what I need to work on in myself. If only everyone in the world had this gift!
He was a bit more "difficult" as a baby and toddler than our first son. Because of this, it was C who challenged the way we parented and forced us to seek a better way; a way of more tolerance, peaceful parenting, and a more natural existence overall. We owe so much of who we are today as parents to C, and I thank him for that!
But perhaps the thing that amazes most me about C is his incredible ability to live in the moment! He doesn't worry about what may happen in the future (a scary thing for a mom), as he simply lives and reacts in the moment. He goes for what he wants in life only worrying about what is immediately in front of him.
I hope this courageous quality stays with him his entire life. I consider it a huge part of parenting C to never take it away from him through my worries!
There are so many things about C that I could write on and on about, like his immense empathy for animals or his beautiful smile that just takes people's breathe away. He makes us smile everyday and through his personality he creates a better person in me.
Before C was born, from an only child's perspective, I thought how one could possibly love more than 1 child completely. I had been able to give my mind and soul to my older son for 4 years, and now I was that love would be split in half. How could it work? How could I take love away from my oldest, D? How could it possibly be fair?
When C was born our lives changed yet again, and everything I thought I knew about parenting was thrown out the window. I quickly realized that my fears were silly and incorrect. It is not splitting up of love but rather an expansion of how much love you are able to give out. C taught me pretty early on in his life that my heart can expand 100 times over. It is one of his greatest gifts to me.
As C has grown up, his gifts to us continue. He resembles me both physically and mentally. He mirrors back my good and bad qualities - which remind me what I need to work on in myself. If only everyone in the world had this gift!
He was a bit more "difficult" as a baby and toddler than our first son. Because of this, it was C who challenged the way we parented and forced us to seek a better way; a way of more tolerance, peaceful parenting, and a more natural existence overall. We owe so much of who we are today as parents to C, and I thank him for that!
But perhaps the thing that amazes most me about C is his incredible ability to live in the moment! He doesn't worry about what may happen in the future (a scary thing for a mom), as he simply lives and reacts in the moment. He goes for what he wants in life only worrying about what is immediately in front of him.
I hope this courageous quality stays with him his entire life. I consider it a huge part of parenting C to never take it away from him through my worries!
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| He has a true love of animals |
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| His infectious smile:) |
There are so many things about C that I could write on and on about, like his immense empathy for animals or his beautiful smile that just takes people's breathe away. He makes us smile everyday and through his personality he creates a better person in me.
I love you C, Happy Birthday!!
A beautiful tribute to C. He does have that awesomely crazy "you don't know what I'm doing to do next" smile. Love it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday.