Three Quarters of a Year

Our baby girl is growing, growing, growing. Her 9 month check-up brought her in the 98th percentile for weight and 82nd for height. She is developing such a strong personality and while we love learning about what makes her her, I can't help but mention the tiny bit of fear and anxiety that comes along with it. Are we doing this all right? There is such a strong desire to be the best parents we can be and I know that starts with each new day. Here is a list of lessons I've learned and hope to instill in our daughter.

• Be good at planning for the future but master being present in the moment.
• Humility and owning up to your poor decisions is one of the most admirable qualities a person can have.
  
• You may not be the fastest, the smartest, or the prettiest, but you can always be the kindest.
• Everything and anything isn't always possible and that's perfectly OKAY.
  
• This one is an old one but I've had to learn it several times over..."Never say never."
• Everything doesn't always need to be worn on your sleeve. Lighten up, don't over-analyze and laugh it off...or at least try. Dwelling on something never helps.
  
• Loving and accepting others is much easier than holding grudges. But loving and accepting others is different from approving of what they may choose to do.

I'm sure there are many more that I haven't thought to mention and even more I have yet to learn. But the most important lesson of all, that I am confident we are instilling in her, is how much we love her.