Are you ok?  Are you tired?  Are you wet?  Cold? Hot? Hungry? Bored?  And the list goes on…  All babies have their own way of communicating how they’re feeling and it can be challenging trying to learn their language.  I find myself running through this list of questions (on a fairly regular basis) as I learn my babies needs, wants, desires, hopes, dreams…  Ok, I’m not really worrying about those last few with 6 month olds but I’m anticipating that this game of 20 questions really never ends.  It just changes with each stage…

I’ve come to learn and accept (over the past 6 months), that I may not be able to understand what they need at times.  As a new mom that has been a nanny, a babysitter for practically the entire neighborhood, and an aunt times 6… I felt like I would have it “all under control”.  Although, when I couldn’t solve my own babies problems, I was confused, oddly out of my element and I felt like I was failing.  I often thought… I grew this child – shouldn’t I be able to solve her problems, easily comfort her, make her tears and pain go away?!  Ha, if only it was so easy!  Now, as a mom of twins, this game of Q&A is much more complex as I thought it would be.  Not only am I trying to understand one, I’m trying to understand two and let me tell you – they are not speaking the same language!

As a new parent we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to “know” our children, to be able to quickly find answers to all our questions…to speak their language and understand what they are trying to tell us.  However, at times we can easily disappoint ourselves with lack of knowledge, but isn’t that what parenting is all about?   Not disappointment, but learning as we go and as they grow.  So, bring it on 20 questions I will continue to “ask away” with confidence and a smile – even if I don’t find the answer :)!