365 Project - Day 22 - Walking After You

Funny how the first signs of independence come so suddenly, and so subtly. We are just shy of a year since my daughter was born, yet she has already begun to assert herself into the world, discovering and defining her own identity. She is already testing her self-sufficiency, even if it is something as simple as holding her own bottle.

I know I'm very new at this whole parenting thing, but I think that this might be one of the most difficult parts of all--watching our babies slowly pull away from us. To me, parenting seems to be a very delicate balancing act between being a source of strength and comfort for my child, and also being able to give her the gentle nudges she needs to become independent. It's a very natural instinct to want to protect her, to want to grab on tightly and never let her go. Yet it's my job to let her go, to let her find herself...and I take my job very seriously.

Today's 365 Project is dedicated to all the babies who are growing up too fast, and to the parents who must learn to let them go.