Hear me Growl!

My 7 month old is getting to that weird baby phase of growling. Both my other two did this, but it still makes me laugh every time! It is such a funny thing to think about. We all start off as these little people struggling to understand and communicate with those around us. We make sounds and copy what we see and hear. Growling must seem like a really big accomplishment to a baby. It is a loud, strong sound coming from a tiny little body.

Ellie will growl for hours on end. She makes the funniest concentration face while she is doing it. She makes it look as though she has to put all she is into making this one silly sound. Does that much really change though as we age?

Babies struggle with the basics of communication and understanding. They are learning on the most basic level. However, we are all constantly learning and growing as people. If I am fortunate enough to make it to 100 years old I know I will still be learning something about this crazy world around me.  Whether we are learning new trades, skills, communication techniques, parenting skills, coping mechanisms, or stress management, we are always growing and learning. So I guess at heart we are all like my 7 month old learning to growl.

I am still learning how to deal with being a stay-at-home mom. It is not something that I was used to doing. Regardless of what everyone says about “mothering instincts”, part of parenting is trial and error and learning. I learn new ways to deal with children on a daily basis. Breastfeeding, for example, is supposed to be “natural”.  We are told mothers should just know what to do. I know personally it was a struggle for me. Something I had to work through. Not everything “natural” necessarily comes “naturally”. Each child has a different personality and different style of parenting that works best for them. When I had my children I didn’t just all of a sudden become a super parent. I have to work on it each and every day.

What areas of your life are you working on right now? Anyone else learning how to “growl” for the first time?