A Passing Grade

January is coming to a close and this is my last promised post of the month. To honor that, I'm going to keep it simple and honest tonight. I spend a lot of time lovingly complaining about my kids. I joke about their quirks and all the things they do that drive me crazy. I do it to cope with the insanity of our day to day lives but, more than that, I do it to cope with my insecurity as a parent. Parenting is never easy but it is especially hard for a perfectionist. I spend a great deal of time worrying about doing it right and then agonize over my inevitable mistakes. Tonight, when I went to give Zeca a hug and kiss goodnight, she said, "Mama, you know how babies can't talk when they are really small. Well, I wanted to tell you that I loved you even when I was a baby and couldn't say it. I just want you to know that."

There are a million ways to measure success but, tonight, I'll measure it by her words.