Until Next Year

The "birthday week" is officially over.  I can happily rest my butt knowing that every ounce of energy was worth it - my son thoroughly enjoyed it...even if it isn't a memory he remembers down the road.  I enjoyed this party a lot more than the others, too.  I am not sure if it's because I didn't put as much prep into it or if it was because Brent truly had fun and he got it.  He knew the party was for him and it was obvious he really enjoyed himself.  It is a "successful" parenting day!

As a Mom, it is hard not to ask yourself, "Am I doing this right?  Should I do this differently?"  The argument "nature versus nurture" is often discussed in education - and sometimes parenting.  It is based on the belief by philosopher, John Locke, that children are born with a "tabula rasa," or "blank slate," and from that moment on are molded into the being they become by everything that occurs around them.  However, many argue that nature (genetics, etc.) has a lot to do with it as well.  I don't believe it is a "versus" - I feel that they are both equally important and work together.  I know that without a doubt, I look at my son each day and see a combination of his father, myself, other family members, and things I have no idea where he gets them.  Television, radio, school, people in public, his own mind, etc.  His little body holds such a huge personality, and he never ceases to amaze and surprise me.

Today, a friend shared another blog entry that I really enjoyed.  As a "mother of one" who often looks at those with multiple children and says, "I don't know how you do it!  I can hardly handle one!"  I understand this writer.  I find relief in her words: "Dear mother, don’t worry about enjoying your life.  Your life is hard; your life will be hard.  That doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong—it means you’re doing it right."  I hope she's right! Read:  To the Mother with Only One Child