Pessimism

Six months ago today at 9:01 am Mollie entered the world and my life would never be the same! I can't believe it's been that long and Mollie's already halfway through her first year. The pessimistic side of me ( I call it the realistic side) realizes that in just 35 more of these she'll be 18!!! I know, I'm crazy. But it just goes by so fast. Every parent I've met since having Mollie, especially those with grown kids, tells you to enjoy every moment because it's over in the blink of an eye. They never talk about how hard it is or about the temper tantrums I'll have to deal with one day or heaven forbid the teenage years! All they remember is how fast it went. With every new milestone I'm very happy. It's so exciting and fun when she learns to do something new. With each passing day it just gets better and better. However, that ever present "realistic" side of me always manages to tap on my shoulder and remind me that every time there's a "first" that it has just passed forever never to return. Mollie's first half of her first year is officially completed and yes, I guess I'm a little sad, but one of the lessons I'm learning is that the happiness outweighs the sad a thousandfold. I have to live in the present, not the past or future. Every moment that has now passed has already happened yes, but they're not gone. The moments of Mollie's life will live on in my memory forever! I'll be happy every time I think about the past six months and I will look forward to the many milestones to come. And when that pessimistic/realistic little devil wants to try and steal the joy in these moments of life I'll just brush her off and enjoy them anyway. After all, the "firsts" are only a first once. Happy half-birthday my sweet angel!