Girl’s Life

I never knew how much I appreciated my parents until I had a kid of my own.

“Mom, did I keep you up all night? Did I bite you? Did I smear my food all over the place? Did I tear your heart out every time I cried?”

These questions are just a few among hundreds that I’ve asked my mom since Sophia was born 10 months ago. I never knew how much work it was to be a parent until I had a baby, of course. Once I held that little girl in my arms — rocking her, singing to her, providing for her every need — I couldn’t believe my parents had done that whole song and dance FOUR times! Mom and Dad, I’m amazed.

Sophia is so lucky to have all her grandparents within under a half-hour drive from our house. She gets to hang out with the grandmas every week to have special grandma days (they nap with her, shop with her, walk her around the neighborhood and generally just spoil her). And I am so thankful for that. I love that she knows these important people in her life. I love that Grammy teaches her piano lessons (which is really a game of how loud can Sophia bang the keys!) and Grandma writes me play by play updates in a little spiral notebook of how many ounces of milk Sophia drank and what her changing moods looked like throughout the day.

I’m thankful for how much Sophia’s grandparents have helped us figure out parenthood. And however much Chris and I pretend to have it all figured out, we’ve learned so much from you guys, and we couldn’t have done it without you.

We’re off in a couple days to a wonderful vacation in Kauai to stay with Grammy in her condo. And I am thankful in advance for a family vacation with childcare included! Yay for grandparents!