Someone asked me once what phase of parenting has been my favorite, and it got me thinking. Is it when your baby is a brand new, tiny newborn full of snuggles and completely dependent on you? I replied, “yes”.
Is it when the little babe is a few months old and learning to coo and smile? When they turn towards you at the sound of your voice and meet your eyes with their own sparkling gaze? I replied, “yes”.
Maybe it’s when a few more months pass by and that little human that used to rely solely on you is now exploring a new found freedom of crawling and grasping toys on their own. Is this your favorite phase? I replied, “yes”.
Perhaps we fast forward to the toddler years when every minute is spent chasing them around, protecting them as this little person you created begins to see the world in a new way. They experience newness daily and you catch little glimpses of their personality emerge. This is the age when it’s so fun to see the world through their eyes. Is this it? “Yes,” I replied.
Or, maybe your favorite moments come in watching their confidence grow from the shadows while they score their first goal or walk bravely through the doors for their first day of school. Again I said, “yes”.

Each of those milestones, along with all of the ones to come are my favorite. I realized with our oldest that just like our kids do, as a parent you must live in the moment too. Each and every new experience they have is huge for them and each phase of life helps mold and shape them into who they will become. It’s never wise to live in the past or be so worried about the future that we forget to focus in on the present. When we live in the present with our kids, we experience each day to the fullest with them and that’s when we find the real joy in carrying the title of parent.

You see, being a parent isn’t just a badge we pin on our jacket or a hat we can take off periodically. Being a parent is exhausting, often overwhelming, downright dirty at times and a lot of being clueless about what you are doing. However, it is by far the most rewarding title I’ve ever carried. To me, parenting is a journey, not a race. When you’re on a journey, you take time to experience things like the warmth of the sunshine on your skin or the smell of fresh cut grass. When you’re in a race, your goal is merely to survive and push towards the finish line as you pass blurs along the way.

So when I’m asked what phase of raising a child is my favorite, my answer is simple. Every single phase is my absolute favorite. I know it’s so easy to get caught up in the chaos of the younger years. The years of endless nights of no sleep, a fussy baby, bad dreams, practices, homework, packing lunches, etc., but when I begin to intentionally focus on the crazy life I’ve been given and the people I’m blessed to live it with, I realize that even in the crazy, this too is my favorite.

Even though I’ve yet to experience my kids moving out or getting married, I know that those moments in time will be no different. Each stage of their lives brings new experiences, new joys and new ways to love the person they are becoming. So I stop wishing for the baby they once were, I stop being afraid if they will become the adult they should be and I start embracing the child they are.

“Life is simply a series of tiny miracles. Notice them.”