The Milk Monkey’s a Player….

I was working away at my desk when I looked up to see the Milk Monkey happily playing away.

He was making little sound effects and chatting away with the few words he knows “Dada, Mama, Nana, Hi” while driving little cars across the carpet.

He was tossing balls and rolling them around.

                            

Even after three children, I’m still in awe of how babies go from being completely and utterly dependent on us,

to playing, eating, walking, talking and all the other amazing things they can do.

Some how, almost effortlessly they learn so much in their first couple years!

With my first born, my Little Professor, I spent hours teaching him his colours and shapes, how to count and his alphabet at an early age.

I thought it important that he learned everything fast and with a little work, he did.  He was a fast learner and still is!

I stressed over it.

I was so caught up in his future, that I pushed him and we didn’t relax and enjoy the present.  Everything had to be perfect with him.  I changed his clothes at the tiniest mark, I constantly washed his tiny face and I agonized over every decision.

When my Princess was born I was determined to do the same for her!  Having two babies made that an impossible task.  It was barely all I could do to remember to breath during that time and trying to keep things perfect made me feel like a complete failure.

The Princess and I didn’t spend huge amounts of time obsessively going over her colours, shapes and alphabet

but surprisingly enough she learned it just as well as our Professor.

At some point it dawned on me…babies learn…children learn, it’s just in their nature.

They learn by playing, they learn by spending time with the ones who love them, they learn by mimicking.

Everything with my little Milk Monkey has been different.  I’m a more relaxed mummy.  I am able to enjoy all his moments!

Maybe it’s because I’m older – I definitely have the grey hairs and the wrinkles to back that up!  or maybe it’s just the experience from my other two darlings but now I’ve stopped reaching for perfection.

Now, instead of running for a new outfit because a puff has stuck to the Milk Monkey’s sleepers I just let him continue playing and sometimes I even join him regardless of the work that needs to be done.

I like to smell his sweet baby scent, his little curls softly caress my cheek as I kiss the back of his neck.

The Milk Monkey has learned so much already!

He’s learned it from his Daddy and I and from his brother and sister…the funny thing is,

we’ve never sat down to “teach” him anything!

One thought on “The Milk Monkey’s a Player….

  • 1 May, 2012 at 8:59 am
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    Am interesting lesson, and I guess that’s why third children are so much more relaxed! 😉

    Reply

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