Where did my baby go?

Damon's been working a lot of "manager on duty" weekends, so he took Wednesday off last week to do fun family stuff. One thing on the list was take Abby to the park. I've been going on and on about all the things I've been amazed she can do there, so Damon wanted to see it too. The first thing she went to as soon as we got there was the "rock wall." Damon was completely shocked to see how easily she was able to climb all the way up. It hit him like a ton of bricks that she's no longer a baby, but a ful-fledged little girl. The most difficult lesson we have to learn as parents is to let her try despite our fears. We know she may fall, but all we can do is try to support her without getting in her way while she learns. We can no longer protect her from everything, but have to let her try on her own. Abby is fearless so it's such a hard lesson for us to see her accomplish something we never thought she'd be able to do. We so want to tell her she can't climb that because we're afraid to watch, but we let her try because we don't want her to take on our fears. We don't want her to learn to be afraid, to think she can't do it. I love that she doesn't think she can't do something, but is willing to try new things despite the challenges, and hope she will always be that way.