Realisation #5

I truly believe that there is no one else in the world who could be as capable as I am in bringing up my child. I know what's best for her and only I know the intricacies and intimacies of her personality and being. Although I am happy leaving my little one with my mother or my childs father and even her teachers at school, they're not me. And this leaves me a little bit panicky. Will they know that she likes to do things in a certain way? Will they understand when she asks to wash her hands? Or doesn't like to have her hair tied up? Will they know that she just wants to cuddle before she falls asleep at night? Will they remember to take "baby" (her doll) with her when they go out and remember her "kie" (blankie) at nap times? Will they know to let her push the button on her play play remote to open the gate to the house when they leave?

Is anyone else as paranoid as me? Or is this just normal. The kind of mothers guilt that we all have to go through. That like in wanting to always have a perfectly tidy and clean house, we will get over with in time?

Achievement #2

We made it through 6 months of colic and once out the other side- I realised it wasn't that bad after all!

The pregnancy was easy and so was the birth, so it was a big surprise to have a "fussy" and "miserable" baby. Lil L cried and cried and cried and wouldn't sleep.

Those first few weeks were so hard. They're a bit of a blur now. Although I never doubted that we'd come out ok- I thought it would go on for ever at the time.

And here we are... none the worse for the experience. If anything it taught us all patience, understanding and a "never give up" attitude.

Life isn't perfect and it will throw curve balls every so often, but only because we're strong. Because we're fighters and because we'll be ok in the end. That's how fairy tales are meant to be.

"Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.".... Hans Christian Andersen

Fact#2

A mother knows what's best for her and her child. Trust your gut.

Fact #1

There is no such thing as a perfect mother. There is no such thing as a perfect parent. All our children ask of us is to be good enough.

"The "good-enough mother" is a mother whose conscious and unconscious physical and emotional attunement to her baby adapts to her baby appropriately at differing stages of infancy, thus allowing an optimal environment for the healthy establishment of a separate being, eventually capable of mature object-relations."