to all the "meanest parents EVER" - thank you..

I was going to wait until Mother’s Day or Father’s Day to post this and then I realized there’s no time like the present to tell people how much you appreciate them.

Last night Peter and I stood over Grant’s crib as he was sleeping and we were both overwhelmed with a sense of how fortunate we really are. As we went to bed that night we talked about how weird it was to think that we were ever that small. I was suddenly hit with the realization that 34 years ago my parents probably stood over my crib and watched me sleep just like we’ve done with Grant over the past seven months. I’ve always known my parents loved me but I don’t think I understood the depth of that love until I had a baby of my own. I know I’ve said it before but I never realized the capacity I had to love until I had Grant and then a new day comes and I love him even more. Sometimes I think there’s no truer expression of absolute love as when I’m feeding Grant at the end of the day and we’re both staring endlessly into each other’s eyes. It’s strange that I’m just now realizing that at one point I was on the other end of that gaze.

When Peter and I talked about it later we then jumped ten years ahead (or sooner) when we’re inevitably going to be told we’re “the meanest parents in the world, EVER” when we don’t give into whatever boundary he’s pushing. How does your heart not break into a million pieces when a child doesn’t understand “no” doesn’t mean I don’t love you? Yet, I thoroughly believe if you don’t hear that you’re the meanest parent ever, then you’re not doing your job. J I know I was a handful, especially during those early teen years with my parents and somehow we came out on the other end all alive and I know my parents still love me. So while I’m at risk for sounding incredibly sappy I’d just like to say “thank you” to every meanest mom and dad in the world who’s realized that you can never love a child too much. You’re making our world a better place.

-misty