Things change

There's this episode of Sesame Street where Alan, who runs Hooper's Store, decides to go on vacation, but Big Bird flips out and tries to talk him out of finding someone to watch the store while he's gone because he wants things to stay exactly as they are and never change.  And then Natalie Portman comes in as a customer or something and changes Big Bird's mind, they sing this cute song about change, and then suddenly he's cool with Alan leaving so long as Natalie stays.  So in the end, Big Bird realizes that change isn't a bad thing.  In fact, change is a good thing. 

 

 

Yes, I have started my blog on a deep topic by talking about Sesame Street.  But it just so fitting. 

 

 

Over the course of a year, my life has completely taken a 180.  Things have changed in ways I never imagined.  Not all of them good, most of them are good, but surely none of them have been easy.  When T and I decided we would try to become parents we had no idea how quickly and massively things would change in our lives.  We had no idea how one little girl and her existence would change our perspective on...well....everything. 

 

 

Every decision we make, every choice in our daily lives we make as a family.  We are a family unit.  Just typing those words doesn't even begin to describe how deep that is to me.  Our family comes first to us.  It's no longer just T and I and our extended families.  It's our core unit with everyone else kind of on the outer walls.  I mean, we still consider our extended families, but roles have changed, things have shifted.  We're the parents now, and we have this little life to shape and mold. 

 

 

Not everyone in our lives has been so conducive to the changing.  It's been tough.  And I'm not going to lie, it's a challenge just between T and myself, let alone with other in our lives.  Not everyone will support our decisions.  We've made choices on how we raise Aubrey, routines, schedules.  Not everyone is on board with that, and we have gotten push back.  We've had to pass on certain invitations because we do have to work around Aubrey.  Sure, we deviate from the schedule, but we have to consider what is best for her first.  And sometimes that goes over like a lead balloon. 

 

 

It's hard because I don't have the time I used to have to go out to dinner with friends, to talk on the phone at night and catch up.  I do go out to dinner with friends every once in awhile, but there's Aubrey, and is it fair to leave the responsibility solely on T to put her to bed?   And by the time she has gone to bed, I don't really want to spend the evening texting or calling someone when I would rather relax with T with the two spare hours we have before bed. 

 

 

And I know things aren't done changing.  As she gets older, things will shift even more.  And we'll get push back continuously because not everyone is going to agree with us.  Some will think we are being overprotective, not making the "right" decisions, not doing the right thing.  None of that really matters, though.  All that matters is what we decide to do.

 

 

As the song in that simple Sesame Street skit goes "Things change.   Yes, they change....change can be good, too." 

 

 

(Think I can get that memo out?  Or maybe just passively email this clip to everyone?)