what do you wish you would have done...

With your older children?

I try not to have thoughts about what I wish I had done differently. It is not a very productive way to spend your energy. However, it makes for interesting and thought-provoking blog material, so here goes...

I wish I would have journaled. The irony is that I still do not journal, even though we plan to have more children and I know I would appreciate it down the line. I often find myself struggling to remember when Moose reached certain milestones, when he went through growth spurts, when he began to sleep through the night. Not that this information is relevent to how subsequent children will behave, but it would be nice to be able to look back and say "Oh yeah, I went through this before and it all turned out just fine in the end." It is just so difficult to find the time and energy to sit down and journal. If I journaled I probably wouldn't have the energy to blog.

I wish I would have worn Moose more. I mean, I did wear him as a newborn. But I just didn't know about the comfortable options of wearing a child past the newborn phase. And by "newborn phase" I mean beyond 12 pounds, which is the weight at which I was no longer able to wear him in my do-it-yourself stretchy wrap or in the crotch danger Snugli. Not only is the sense of closeness amazing, but it is just so darn convenient.

I wish I had known, in those first two weeks with Moose, what a joy breastfeeding would be. I was so overwhelmed and exhausted that I almost quit. It scares me to think of all the hours of bonding and cuddling I would have missed out on. I love that my boys get big and chunky and healthy from mama's milk. I adore the snuggle time and the sweet moments only shared between mother and child. It is such a special privilege to breastfeed.

And most importantly, I wish I would have known from the get-go that no matter what parenting choices you make, loving your child and trusting God and your mommy-instinct are what make you a great parent. All the rest is just...extra.

This is kind of a repost. I posted this a few months back, but unfortunately it got filed in my '09 archives. So if you if you are having dejavu, then bravo for looking through my '09 archives. If not, please enjoy.