Written by Ashley
It’s amazing in how in just 14 short months I’ve watched my daughter grow into a giggling and babbling mobile little girl. The milestones I’ve witnessed are incredible – from rolling over, to sitting up, to pulling herself up, to cruising, and now just moments away from her first independent step. She amazes me every day. She’s developed her own little personality and loves to play chase, zoom up the stairs, try new foods and play with her puppy. She also enjoys learning, and I am amazed to see her develop her fine and gross motor skills through play. My husband and I try to expose her to new sights and sounds every chance we get. From playgrounds and festivals to ball games and museums, the more she sees, the more she learns.
This past weekend we visited the Great Lakes Science Center. And while my husband may have played with the exhibits more than her, she learned a great deal. Watching her face light up as she looked at the exhibits, from bubbles and gears to electricity and spaceships, reiterated how important it is to us as parents for her to have these experiences as a child.
It’s not every day I see her use her tiny pointer finger to turn the gears without me showing her how. Nor is it every day that a smile as wide as her ears appears as she slides down a slide. And it’s certainly not every day she gets to try on her own space suit.
I often wonder what she’s thinking and how the human brain develops from infancy to adulthood (I was never good at science). For her to just grasp things, follow our lead, say a new word; it boggles my mind. How does she know that her play food isn’t real food when she “eats” it? How does she know that “doggie” really means her furry friend? How does she know that by flashing me a huge, bright smile, I’ll smile?
Early childhood development is incredible. I am grateful to be there to see her learn something new, to see the gears in her head turn as she figures out that can knock down the blocks, turn her ride-on toy to prevent her from bumping into the wall, and push down on the princess castle to make the princesses talk. While she may be learning something new each day, as am I. I learn each day how to love even more just when I don’t think I have any more room in my heart; how to be patient; how to be comforting; how to be encouraging; how to be a mom.
About Ashley
Ashley is a self-proclaimed fashionista, social media maven, and proud new mama. Together with her husband, they welcomed their first child last August. They also have a fur-baby named Peak, an 80-lb. yellow lab whom they adopted during a ski trip in Denver. She is the Social Media Manager at Step2 and you may have recently communicated with her if you’ve chatted with Step2 on Facebook or Twitter.
