Thursday, August 29, 2013

Enjoy the Present

I can't tell you how much it bugs me when I hear another mom say, "I can't wait until my baby is able to ________."  Sometimes they are referring to my slightly older baby who just happens to have a few more skills because she's older.  I tend respond with something like "Enjoy the stage you're in now.  It's going to go by way too fast.  One day you may miss the stage you're in right now.  I know that at times I miss the stage you're in."

I was the mom who thought my baby was growing up way to fast, when she was 1 week old!  I was the mom who cried when she turned 1 month old because she was growing up way too fast.  I was the mom who was upset when someone told me that she no longer looked like a newborn.  I had to face the music, time was not going to slow down for me.

I just can't believe how quickly a baby can change between week to week.  One week they have no idea where their hand is, the next week they can find their hand.  One week they want to cuddle in close and could snuggle with you through an entire movie.  The next week they want nothing to do with cuddling and want you down on the floor playing with them.  One week they can play by themselves on the living room floor while you are making supper (FYI...we have an open concept house, so the living room, dining room & kitchen are one huge room).  The next week they are crawling and hunting you down as you try to go to the bathroom in peace.

Each stage goes by so fast, my advice is enjoy it.  Don't wish it away.  Yeah, you maybe excited and can't wait until she laughs for the first time or eats solid foods or sits up by herself.  But don't miss out on the neat things your baby is doing right now at this very moment.  Don't be wishing for that moment when your baby can entertain herself, because you could be missing out on your baby's new discovery of the noise a rattle can make when she shakes it.

I remember a sermon I heard years ago when I was in college.  It was about enjoying the present.  I remember the priest telling us "Don't spend your time wishing for the future because you could be missing out on something important that God has in store for you right now.  God purposely placed you where you're at today because He has a purpose for you.  Don't miss out on the things God has for you right now because you're wishing for things that God may not give to you in the future."

Enjoy every moment with your baby.  It doesn't matter if they're 1 week old, 1 year old or 50 years old.  It's ok to mourn the past, but don't let it ruin the present.  Sure, I miss the times when my baby wanted to cuddle with me on the couch, but I'm enjoying the crawling and walking stage now too.  Each stage is special.  Don't miss the blessings God is giving to you right now because you can't wait for the future.

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