As I am learning now, almost 10 years into motherhood, sometimes less is more. As soon as that beautiful baby can do things for herself, let her. Don't try to do too much for her. It's easy to want to "help" but ultimately, you're really not helping at all when they aren't as independent as they should or could be. One day, she'll come to realize that letting her find her own solutions, even if it gets overwhelmingly frustrating at times, was one of the best gifts you could give her because she'll have the confidence of knowing she can do things by herself.

Just because your favorite time of the day is right after you put that sweet girl to bed doesn't mean you're bad parents. It's a marathon not a sprint, and LOTS of times (maybe most of the time?), it's a beatdown. As I said before (though I cannot take credit for the line), what you do for your children is never enough, and yet it has to be. Welcome to the paradox of parenthood.

Josey, you're on my heels, as has been our whole lives through. And you're like a daily journal to me. So you've undoubtedly gotten every single piece of advice and insight I've ever had. For better or worse. But if I might choose the best piece of advice, it is the overused, "Enjoy it while you can. It goes so fast." Though we've found a way to slow it, with our Gypsy Time Warp (TM) process, it's certainly not enough.