Two Peas in a Pod....

 

 

 

 

I am sometimes jealous of the relationship that Robert has with Emma. I don't tell him this, of course, and i am thrilled that they are 'Two peas in a pod" but still, the little green monster sometimes shows up for me when i see how well the two of them mesh.

I am, sigh, a 'Helicopter Mommy'. I try not to be, and i think that i'm getting better at setting limits on myself but who am i trying to kid, but deep down, i know that i am still a Helicopter Mommy. I hover around, waiting for the moment to signal that it is my time to swoosh down and "rescue" my child. I grab my Pink Cape with the "HM" on it, grab my pink galoshes, and fly to her rescue. Never mind, that she doesn't need my rescuing help (nor wants it, btw) and will usually refuse it with the phrase that we Helicopter Mommies hate to hear screamed at us: "I DO IT ALLLL BY MYSWELF!".

I apparently come from a long line of Helicopter Mamas. My sweet Mama was also a Helicopter Mama and i do remember, quite clearly, doing everything in my power to break away from her as early as i could. You would think that knowing this, i would lay off, but nope. I continue to think that Emma "needs" me to rescue/help/smother her.

I'm a slow learner, i know.

Robert, on the other hand, encourages Emma to go higher, run faster, swing higher, try this or that, touch this and that, and , to do things herself. He always has. I will never forget when he let Emma hold her own bottle at around 6 months or so. I remember thinking to myself, "WHAT is he doing?!?! Doesn't he know that's MY job to hold the bottle for her?!?!"

I also remember Robert standing behind Emma on the stairs as she tried to climb up them. He would actually LET her try to do it herself! I totally thought that i had married an insane man at that point. She couldn't even walk and he was trying to show her how to climb! Of course, she mastered the stairs in no time and hasn't looked back since to notice me rocking in the corner, banging my head against the wall, sad that she's growing up so fast.

Maybe it's a good thing that he is the way he is and that i'm the way i am with Emma.

Maybe.

She'll learn to be daring, independent and strong from him and she'll learn to hang on to things for dear life from me. That's a good mix, right?

I do know that when she's sick, i'm top dog the one she wants to hold her.

Okay, okay, she wants Robert, too when she's sick, but she asks for me first!

Emma is almost four now, you know. Her birthday is coming up.

Not a baby anymore.

Not a toddler anymore.

But a little girl who, thanks to her Daddy, will have a zest for life and a infectious laugh to go with it as she sings her "Jewus lowes me" songs.

And that's an amazing type of woman to grow up to be....even if they both have to drag me, kicking and screaming, along with them while i watch my little Emma grow up.