I have always been in awe of my daughter. She was 3 days late, and I think it gave her little mind more time to cook.
When she was 2 months old, she looked and acted like she was 4 months old.
When she was 12 months she looked and acted like a 2 yr old.
Now she is 3 and she looks and acts like a 5 year old.
She walked early, talked early, solved puzzles early, sorted blocks before her peers, and the list goes on and on.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am grateful to have an intelligent daughter. She amazes me every day. But I have also been plagued with this enormous amount of pressure on my shoulders.
Pressure to always challenge her. Pressure to keep her thinking and learning.
Pressure to take her on new adventures so she doesn't get bored.
Pressure to find the best education programs possible.
Lately, a tremendous amount of guilt has begun to follow me around as well.
Guilt that I haven't done enough for her sweet little mind.
Guilt that we don't go on nearly enough adventures.
Guilt that I just don't play with her enough.
Guilt that at times her over-capable brain is just rotting away in front of the TV when I need to get something done.
I mostly notice her boredom when we are stuck in the house all day because of nap schedules, chores, callings, etc. Her little mind starts working, but not in ways I would like.
She likes to trick me. Toy with me. Talk me into things without me realizing.
Like promising her ice cream or chips. Or making me turn a movie on for her.
The other day she weazled me into cleaning up the toy room after I asked her to do it, and then she convinced me she needed a treat for doing such a good job.
(She did help a little... and I did promise if she helped she could have a treat... *sigh.*)
This isn't just asking, mind you. She asks for these things and gets a big fat NO.
She puts her little mind to work. Waits until mommy is distracted with Stryder crying, or on an important call, or there's someone at the door- when my focus isn't on her. Then she talks me into things. Clever girl.
I can't compete with her little 3 year old mind. The blocks below are an example.
We were building the other day, having a good time. She and Stryder fighting over the good blocks, while I refereed. I was half-heartedly building at first, but then decided to build something 'pretty.' I tried different combinations, but couldn't really get any of my creations to look even mildly attractive.
Then Abby hands me this perfect little sculpture.
And then this 'Robot.'
The cemetry and color matching are perfect. How did she DO that?!? They both look as though she had sketched them on a drawing board before she built them. Something that I couldn't put together in 20 minutes, she created in just seconds, just by grabbing the blocks around her. Amazing.
So the pressure continues. What to do to entertain her... how to play games all day and manage to get things done... how to keep her occupied without forgetting poor Stryder.
Oh the pressures and blessings of motherhood.
Whenever I have that feeling (about 100X a day), I think of the award-winning author and playwright, Frank McCourt. Raised in 1930's-1940's Ireland, to a neglectful mother and a drunk father; he and his brothers were severely malnourished and were definitely not given "food for thought." And yet, he and his surviving bros. all became successful Americans. Abby is probably genetically very intelligent (just look at her parents!). But, the added nutrition, love, support and education certainly doesn't hurt! That guilty feeling probably won't ever go away... that's why you're such a GREAT mom!!!!!!!!!!!!
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