Because I'm the Mom, THAT's why.........

As we all know, part of the glory of becoming parents is so we can do things the way WE want to when it comes to rearing our children.

I can give her formula if I want to.
I can have her sleep in her crib from day one, because, why not?
I can dress her up in cute clothes a million times a day like she is a doll, because PICTURES!

It never really dawned on me that, hey, it doesn't matter worth a damn what anyone else does/says/thinks because I get to make the rules on this one. FINALLY I get to be the one to say "Because I am her mother, that's why" since goodness knows the amount of times that was/is said to me in my life.

It doesn't make sense to me to give her juice before she is a year old, when water if in fact, more thirst quenching. Playing with random power cords does not seem like a good way to entertain her. No, I don't think she will get her ears pierced soon, while it's cute, I just don't see the point.* The idea of a dog slobbering all over her face is not in any way cute to me, in fact, the idea of her being close to a dog makes me slightly nervous. I do not think it's sanitary for her to put her mouth on random things - like chairs, shoes, my hands just because she wants to. Yes, I do put babylegs on her because I like them. If I could get a bow in her hair and shoes on her feet every.single.day - I would. We stick to a pretty strict schedule because I like a happy baby. Also - do not talk to her like she is a) deaf or b)anything less than a human - because she is neither of those. And, when I say something to you about how we do things, and you want an explanation, all I need to say is "because I'm her mom" and that should be enough.

And I am fully aware that this little statement will continue to evolve as she does - and surely it will go from the explaining a statement like "no, she isn't ready to eat table food yet" to "no, you may not have that broken toy" to "no, boys are NOT allowed in your bedroom" before I even realize it.

*I was DETERMINED that she would have cute little earrings as an infant, and then she got here and I liked her ears plain....