Felicia

When I had my first child almost 9 years ago, I was so focused on ensuring that his clothes matched so he would always look his cutest. I leapt at the first sign of pain or sadness and cradled him in my arms endlessly. He had myself and my husband completely wrapped around his little finger, commanding all of our attention. Then we welcomed a daughter, 2 years later, and I found I didn't have AS much time to ensure their outfits were coordinated, but I did try probably 75% of the time. Some cries went unanswered as I tended to one child or the other. They had each other to play with, so they didn't require my nor my husband's attention all the time. Now we have three wonderful kids. Our youngest had to blend into our very busy lifestyle. She might have spent more time in diapers or onesies and wasn't always necessarily dressed in the cutest clothes. She found ways to amuse herself when I was busy tending to her siblings, doing laundry, or dishes, or other household chores. She didn't always look for mommy or daddy when she took a tumble. Instead, she hopped right up, brushed it off, and kept on going. She entertained US with her antics and sense of humor. And she now has such a fabulous sense of style when it comes to choosing her outfits and she is incredibly independent and confident...more than her older siblings.

There is something to be said for "not sweating the small stuff." Let go, don't fret over every boo boo or fashion faux pas. Just love them, let them experience their world and watch them learn and grow. Teaching confidence and independence is a difficult thing when we smother our children with love and worry. I've learned that we have to let go just a little, and let our kids spread their wings.