She's just like me!

Having lived with myself for 37 years, these are the things that I've noticed. I'm a patient person, to a point. Usually that point is the one that crosses my very strong will. I'm a happy person. I have experienced depression, every one on earth gets "down" every once in a while. There are really only a few times in my life that I think I was clinically depressed, although I've never been treated for it. I have this idea that I can do just about anything I set my mind to. Sometimes, that is in direct conflict with reality and frustration can build up quickly behind that dynamic. Most of the time, though I'm able to ignore the frustration until I can change reality - or at least gain the skills necessary to conquer the thing I'm working at. That comes back to my very strong will, and leads me directly to my baby, A. This little angel has been a precious gift to her Daddy and I. She came just in time to lighten a load which seemed to be getting heavier every second. Well, the angel just turned one and she discovered some really important things about herself. She is capable. She has learned to walk. She can communicate, though she naturally has a very limited vocabulary. And guess what? She has a will, and this idea that she should be able to do just about anything she can think of. Remind me of anyone? Right now it is almost endearing to watch her insist on doing things herself, mostly because her actual capacity is so limited. "How dare you try to hold that very large glass for me?!?" She protests and huffs. Seriously, she does - and I find it extremely hard not to laugh sometimes. Other times, when my dinner fork gets tossed across the room full of food, I wish I could find it hard to laugh. Often, she refuses the things she wants the most simply because I am holding them in MY hands. (Then again, why shouldn't I be holding my lunch in my hands?) I have to admit that I was quite surprised to see this manifest itself so early in her. She has always been such a sweet patient little girl. Then again, I guess that we've just reached the point where her patience has been crossed by her very strong will. I am going to give everything that I have to keep my own personal very strong will in check, so that I can more fully enjoy this baby of mine who very surely will not be a baby much longer.