Nesting is fine, wonderful, rewarding, but I'm so glad that my little bird has opened her wings and is learning to fly. Not that I would have actually given her the birdy mom boot but the time is right.
I will refer to my daughter as Ms Zilla to keep her life as private as I can and still write about her with a motherly pride. Why Zilla? Because like Godzilla she could devastate a small city in 10 seconds flat when she was little. To say she was and is a force of nature is an understatement of galactic proportions.
Zilla has always let me know, before the child rearing texts said a stage would happen, what she needs. She told me when she was ready for solid food, she realized early on that she didn't have to poop in her diaper and she never did again, one day when she was 14 months old she just stopped asking for the breast.
She is still ahead of me. She is an old soul. My mother said she never saw a baby so capable of responding with intention at such an early age. She said this when Zilla was around 3 months old. I have to agree. She has always been ahead of herself. So busy. Such a distinct presence. And now I'm learning how to live my life with her out of my house and hair.... well almost out.
Zilla lives near us with a couple sisters as housemates. She graduates from college in December. I'm starting this blog to chronicle my independence, transition, and how motherhood will change for me dramatically when she moves to another state after she graduates. I've always been a different type of mom, and this is no different. Her baby journal is happening when she leaves home. I was busy up until now. Still am busy, but with things that focus on me and planning for this next phase of my life.
Oh, I also wanted to say that I am not an empty nester. I do not like that term. I don't feel empty. My house isn't empty. Sure I'm sad from time to time that my baby doesn't need me in the same way she used to, but mainly I am proud that she is successfully planning an independent life. That was my job. It means that I was successful.
