Early parenthood connection

I've noticed that on days where I get up with Simon, he tends to be more attached to me than days where Diana gets up with him. For example, this morning I got him up at the butt-crack of dawn so we could both get a haircut at the one place I know he won't freak out. Going out without mom is even less frequent, so it definitely leads to some solid bonding time.

What fascinates me about bonding is that I find myself, as a parent, doing as much of the push-pull thing that Simon does. All at once, he wants your attention and help, as well as a certain level of independence. Along those same lines, there are times where I want him to cuddle up next to me or crash on my lap, but I also want him to deal with a minor fall or some bout of frustration on his own.

That's one of the important balancing acts that I probably over-think, the need to make a deep and meaningful connection with the goal of raising a self-reliant human being. I think about it because strong family connections don't come easy to me.

There has been so much joy in our house lately, as Simon's communication skills continue to develop. We still deal with the usual tantrums and such, but he's so good at expressing love, and we can't get enough of it. I am grateful for every minute of it.