reflecting on an amazing year...

I haven't blogged in a while, I suppose I got distracted with sewing and my little spit fire of a daughter.  But in exactly 10 days from today, my beautiful little baby will turn 1 year!

I truly can not believe how fast this year has just flown by.  And I feel so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to get to spend my days watching my little baby grow into a little girl.  

It is amazing to think that in a year she has gone from the smallest most precious, helpless little thing to a walking (not quite all the time but close) talking (everything is a dog right now) burst of personality.  

Yesterday while Peyton was napping I flipped through all of her pictures from the day she was born and just couldn't believe how much she has grown and how much love she has brought to me and Bryce and our families.  

A friend of mine just had her precious little boy the other day and as I congratulated her and held her family in my thoughts I couldn't help but think about myself a year ago.  And I never knew the love that I would feel until Peyton was right here with us and I felt such joy and love that my friend was going to get to experience that same thing. There truly is nothing like it.  

Enough of the sap...as I reflect on Peyton's first year of life and her growth from a baby to a toddler, I realize that parenting isn't about what you do for your child ( yes that is part of it, as we provide them with necessary essentials of life) but really it is about how you guide them through the world and help them to discover all that surrounds them. Bryce and I used to joke that when I was pregnant I was going to be a psychotic parent...maybe over protective.  But really, I am the exact opposite.  

I let my child do many things that some parents probably shake their heads at, but....I don't care.  I live in a house without baby gates (well, we have one...for the dogs) because I refuse to limit my child's play area or live stepping over gates.  I let my child play on the fireplace and the stairs, with close supervision, because how else is she going to learn to be careful or how to get up and down the steps.  I let my child play in the dog food and dog water because, honestly it is hard to keep her away from them.  I let my child unwrap presents under the tree even if it means that I have to re-wrap them later....because I think it is funny.  I let my child make huge messes while eating and feed the dogs (even though both drive my husband nuts) because I believe that is part of being a kid. I let me child crawl on the floor at stores and restaurants (if it isn't busy) because I don't see anything wrong with it.  

The point is, as a parent I want for Peyton to experience the world, all of it.  And for me part of that is letting her be a kid and do kid things.  My job isn't to stop her because people are staring or because she may bonk her head...but my job is rather to enjoy it with her and pick her back up if she does bonk her head.

Life shouldn't be about limits, not just yet, it should be about discovery.  And I love that Peyton wants to discover and that I get to be apart of that everyday.