Project Parenthood - Part I

Well, we officially have 2 weeks and 3 days left until baby Sebastian's estimated due date!  He can literally pop out any day now!  SO crazy, exciting, scary, and overwhelming all at the same time.  Most of all, I think we're excited and curious for what lies ahead.  Over the course of the past 8.5 months and even before we got pregnant, we've talked about the type of parents we hoped to be for our baby. Some components of the "ideal" parent stem from our own personal experiences growing up - a mix of what not to do and what we absolutely must do, while others come from things we've read about along the way (I am currently obsessed with reading mommy/parenting blogs), what we hear from our friends who have kids, and ever the couch potatoes, what we've seen on TV or in movies.  ;) 

I realize there isn't a perfect definition of what it means to be a parent and the absolute right way to do things... and to be honest, that part makes me nervous!  I like to know what I'm getting myself into no matter the situation - and I definitely don't have the security of knowing what it will be like when we bring our baby into this world.  Regardless of this uncertainty, I know that we will take this responsibility seriously.  I'm sure there will be many, many bumps along the way but I'm confident we'll figure it out together.  The good news is that we're relatively on the same page in terms of how we think our parenting style will/should be.  

Yesterday, we went to church where they started a new series called "Project Parenthood".  The timing couldn't have been more perfect for us; especially as our lives are about to drastically change!  David and I aren't the most religious people and are far from being regular church goers but what I really liked about this series is how practical it is - whether you're religious or not.  Anyway, I thought I'd briefly share what was covered yesterday and will probably continue to post what I've learned throughout the series (assuming we're able to attend given Sebastian's pending arrival). 

Begin with the End in Mind: At the end of the day, we want to teach our kids to exhibit/live the following C's -

• Confidence
• Character (having a moral compass)
• Convictions
• Compassion
• Competence (the potential to make some kind of difference in the world)

What parent wouldn't be happy if their child ended up with these characteristics with their guidance, right?!  Good news is... even though David and I were raised very differently, I'd like to think both sets of parents were successful in teaching us these C's.  

10 Things Kids Need from Caring Adults: (Note - we were only able to cover the first 2 this time around)

1. Strong belief there is a high value in being a parent - we need to take this role seriously and should be a major focus in our lives
2. On-going affection - we need to show our children and each other affection, we need to pour it on so that it is a regular and natural thing

#2 really struck a chord with me.  In truth, I'm not the most openly affectionate person and I really hate PDA.  It's so strange how affectionate I can be with Pookie but sometimes have issues doing so with actual people.  I'm hoping that won't be the case when Sebastian comes.  I will definitely have to be  more aware and intentional when it comes to #2 - not just with the baby but with all other relationships.  

In case you're interested, more to come next week...  :)