5 months?!? It's been 5 months since my last post? WOW! My last post came just two months before we found out we were pregnant again so let's just say that I have chosen sleep over blogging a lot lately. We have just under one month until my first born turns a year old. Which also means that we have just about four months until I meet my sweet second born! That is hard to wrap my brain around!?! I'm working on another post regarding pregnancy number two--coming soon! Let me just say that it is simply another reflection of God's faithfulness and overwhelming gifts!

Anywho, I digress....as of late, I have come across many parenting blogs and/or articles that leave me screaming. Some, I am screaming out of frustration and others I am screaming in agreement. Let me preface by saying that parenting is personal. I think most parents would jump into a pool to grab a child too small to swim, or stop a child from walking out into a busy street, or want to ensure children are buckled safely into their cars. But aside from the basic safety measures, parenting is just as personal as my marriage. I can chat with friends when how it looks when Paul and I disagree or when he brings home flowers just because or about how we do our finances. But no matter what, I guarantee that their marriage will look different than mine because it is their own. Likewise, their parenting will look different than mine.

I feel the need to repeat this more for my own benefit than anyone else's. Their parenting will look different than mine (wash, rinse, repeat). I say this because it is so easy to get sucked into thoughts like "look how sweet those kids are behaving and today is just not our day", "that mom looks dressed with makeup on and is leisurely walking through HEB--I am wearing the same thing as yesterday, Lucy is screaming and if I can't find this last ingredient in ten seconds then we're ordering pizza for dinner", "Lucy will sleep through the night so I must have made a better decision than her--they are still up four times every night", "I am still ok giving Lucy a pacifier--does this really make me a bad mom"....oh how the comparison list could go on and on....

I recently read an article about a blog that left me rolling on the floor laughing! A mom simply listed out all the advice she received as a new mom. Every other sentence contradicted the previous and all the advice came from "experts". If anyone followed all of this advice they would be left walking in circles, likely with a crying baby in their arms. Here's a brief excerpt to illustrate my point:

Naps should only be taken in the bed, never in a swing, car seat, stroller, or when worn. Letting them sleep in the car seat or swing will damage their skulls. If your baby has trouble falling asleep in the bed, put them in a swing, car seat, stroller, or wear them. Use the crib only for sleep and keep it free of distractions. If the baby is having trouble adjusting to the crib, have them play in it first. If the baby wakes up at night and wants to play, put fun toys in the crib to distract them.

My most recent article was a comparison about parenting in the US vs other countries. Many of the points made were about encouraging age appropriate independence, problem solving, responsibility and life skills. In my opinion, regardless of my country of residence, these are fantastic skills for our children to learn. We would each teach them differently because we are different parents but why wouldn't we want to teach our precious babes these skills? Before my promotion to full time mom, I had the opportunity to work in an environment supervising people as well as simply being a member of a team. What I gleaned from my years working outside my home is that a lot of people in my generation were not taught these skills and as such, seemingly don't have the skills necessary to teach them to their children. Perhaps I wouldn't agree with the way parenting is viewed in Japan or Sweden or any other country but I do know that I also don't agree with the trend we have going on here in the US.

I attend a local MOPS group and there is a different speaker at each meeting. One speaker said something that has stuck with me:
"I have to remember one thing: someone else can always make cookies or serve on that committee or set up the carnival. But I am the only person that can be the mom to my kids because GOD made ME perfectly to do it."

I believe this to be a very true statement. God did make me perfectly to parent MY kids. He didn't make me perfectly to parent your kids or the kids I see at Chickfila or HEB. Likewise, he didn't make anyone else for my precious babies. Knowing what I know about God's character, I know that if he made me to do a specific job, then he holds the tools I need to complete that job. Now, more than ever before in my life, it is clear how essential it is to keep my eyes lifted to HIM for answers. Now, in my parenting, I can see a whole new side of my God--I can see him as Father and how he parents me and all my quirks differently that my neighbor. He reveals himself to each of his children in ways unique to who they are so why would he then expect us to parent his next generation of unique creations in any other way?!

Paci or no paci, co-sleep or solo-sleep, home-school, public or private....God has a plan for you, your children and your family. Surrendering to that (easier said than done) and resting in that helps me tune out the "experts" (published or otherwise) and enjoy my sweet babes! It also helps foster confidence in my parenting whether we are having a charmed day at HEB or a meltdown throughout Target.