One Year in Retrospect

It’s hard to believe that Remington is a one year old now. I honestly don’t know where the year went. That might have been the fastest year I have ever experienced so far. I’m grateful she is a part of our lives and I wouldn’t change anything if I had the opportunity.

Over the past year it has been so fun to watch Remington develop and learn new skills. To the person looking in from the outside those skills probably are, for the most part, not a big deal or even visible at times. But as I have watched her day in and day out, those little milestones are awesome and huge.

Reflecting on the past year there are a few things I have learned or realized that are important to me.

1. My wants and wishes get trumped by the needs and desires of Remington. This is a good thing as it teaches me not to be selfish. I need to think of her first and what will benefit her.
2. The times when Remington cries and we can’t figure out why, makes me sad because I can’t help her. I can only hold her and try to comfort her. I wonder how many times God is sad because I don’t allow Him to help me or comfort me?
3. As she has grown to eat solid food, I lean towards giving her the best of the best. I want her to have the best nutrients she can get as she grows. I don’t want to feed her unhealthy foods or even ones I know that have the potential for lots of pesticides, etc. Shouldn’t that be the same reason for me to eat healthy all the time?
4. Remington loves to be around both John and me. She loves to bring toys to us and use us as a play mat. She loves to make us smile and laugh. And when that is accomplished she almost always laughs in return.
5. Caring for a baby is a lot of work but it is so rewarding. I think God gives the extra strength to go through the hard times, being sleep deprived and all, that you didn’t experience before having a baby. You can go the extra mile that you might not have been able to if you didn’t have a child. For that I am grateful.
6. Remington, and babies in general, grow so so fast. I have learned and am learning to be better at cherishing the moments I have with her. That at times means the dishes stay unwashed or the house stays a mess. I will never get these days back and I don’t want to miss them.
7. Teaching a child how to be helpful and responsible (within their limits) requires a lot of patience. She is learning to clean up after herself and that takes a lot longer than if I were to clean up instead. I understand the importance of this and realize in the long run it will be worth it, but it does require patience.
8. Watching Remington learn how to stand and scoot has been fun. When she falls down she gets right back up to try again. When life gets me down I should be willing to just get up and push ahead.

I know I will continue to learn more and more as Remington grows. I look forward to what she has to teach me. Happy Birthday little girl.