My daughter recently turned 1-year-old. It’s not possible to precisely describe how the past year went, but if I were to pick just one word for it — it would be “joy”!

When I look back the 12 months since she was born, it actually wasn’t as stressful as I thought it would be. I learned that every parent starts knowing nothing, and each baby is born with her own unique strength. I’m amazed to see my little girl try & achieve something new, like taking a few more steps forward or getting better at using a spoon. But at the same time, I can already understand what people really mean when they say their kids grow up too fast (and the feeling of bittersweetness that comes with it).

While I haven’t come across any issues that we couldn’t solve together with my husband so far, I certainly realize I have this new long-term challenge; being the best parent I can be for her. I don’t want to push too hard that she feels uneasy. I don’t want to be too protective that she can’t feel confident and independent.

Nobody else has ever tried finding the best balance that especially fits my daughter. We are the only ones who get to try figuring this out. This sounds both exciting and scary, but I guess that’s what being a parent is all about.

I wrote this to remind myself of how I felt at this time of her life. Now, let’s see what the second year looks like!