The most common comment we've gotten recently about Bear is "She's soooo independent!" This being said as she is running away from us and running towards other people to say "hi" and show off her Sonja doll. Like today, we went to the mall and she just had to go through the red door (T@lbots). She even started waving to people who were trying to enter or leave the store probably hoping one of them would let her through. Earlier at brunch, the waitress came to take our order and Bear promptly pointed to the menu and told her "Meat...Wice(rice)."
What can I say? She definitely has her own opinions. As much as people tell me that it's a good thing, I find myself battling her day by day. "Do you want to wear the pink or the blue shirt today?" "NO BOO (Blue), NO PICK (Pink)...Dess(Dress- pointing into the closet)." "Eat your sandwich, Bear." "NO, EAT APO-DOS (applesauce)." My cousin even bought her this really cute purple fairy style skirt with wings, and Bear loves it, but she insists taking everything else off in order to wear them. So Bear runs around practically naked with a see-through skirt, a diaper and a pair of wings. So I've been trying to take a picture of her in her little outfit, so I can send it to my cousin, but uh...yeah.
As I've spent the greater part of my life trying to find and accept my own opinion, to avoid being so wishy-washy, it's such a weird concept to me that Bear is just so innately opinionated.
I would never want to squash her opinions, nor the charisma she has. I mean seriously, it took me almost 30 years before I could find my own voice. Although I do realize that my opinions were always there, I just never expressed them because I was just afraid of what people thought of me. So I guess it took me 30 years before I realized that no one really cares, and if they do, then well I shouldn't care. I am just trying to be my own.
And that is something that Bear has shown me well...It's important to just be your own...and not lose yourself to others. And it's important to appreciate others as they are. Otherwise, what's the point of God creating us each so differently?
3 comments:
Amen! The things we learn from unabashed children. :) Great story. :)
Hee hee, this made me laugh, Carina. Carissa is such a funny girl!
One thing that makes parenting such an adventure is just getting to know our kids. They are completely separate from us, their own persons. I still feel like I'm learning about each one of my own.
But it's neat to think about how God created them, with those strengths and weaknesses. And it's neat to think how He will use those things. And then it's daunting to think of our responsibility to train them in those things.
I don't mean to leave an essay here! By the way, I just recently realized that the bookmark I had set on your site was of one particular post (the "Boo" one), so I thought you hadn't updated in awhile. I'm having so much fun catching up on your entries!
I'm glad you are you.
Bear's good too, the way that she is. You 2 complement each other very well. Nice that you are encouraging and nurturing her to be who she is.
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