Before Theo was born, one of my biggest fears was that Remy would feel unloved or left behind. A younger sibling requires more time and attention, so it terrified me to think that Remy would resent me for having to spend much of my time caring for her little brother. Dedicating time for just Remy is something that I intentionally put on my 18 for 2018 list because I wanted to hold myself accountable for nurturing that relationship. Candidly, it is so easy for me to chalk up our time together once Theo wakes up from a nap. And while I don’t think it phases her, I want us to have a bond that my mother and I never really had.

I want our Mother/Daughter dates to be something that Remy essentially looks forward to, so for the inaugural outing we went to a Snowflake Princess Ball in Lovettsville County. There were tons of crafts – from decorating wands and crowns, to necklace and bracelet making stations, a manicure station and even a visit from Elsa herself! The queen and all the little princesses read Frozen, did some sing-a-longs and Elsa took pictures with all the attendees. Remy had such a great time, I don’t know how I’m going to top this.

I’ve written some ideas down for future dates, things as simple as going to see a movie, grabbing dinner at the place of her choice or simply walking around the mall (which Remy loves). I’m realizing, however, that whether we are going to the park or visiting the zoo, it’s not the destination that’s important as much as that cherished time between us. Remy beamed with joy for the remainder of the day and would not shut up about it to Theo. It was adorable.

Remy may only be four, but I know that these moments will have a ripple effect throughout her entire life. I want her to cherish these memories just as much as I will. Time is our most valuable resource and it’s up to us as parents to live by example. Motherhood/parenting is exhausting, sometimes focusing on those Kodak moments will help us forget about instances in battle because one day we may look back and wish it hadn’t gone so fast.

Whether it’s a Mother/Daughter date or a family vacation, there is no better investment of our time than in the lives of those little humans depending on us for love and security. We may not have a lot of time, but as the saying goes, we make time for what’s important to us.