I've always been this easy-going, happy-go-lucky personality, in a conscientious, but not of the overtly worried sort of way. I've got the report cards to prove it! Ah, not much bothered me in my rose-colored-glasses world. I was always half-glass-full. An optimistic, romantic at heart.

And then I had kids. All of a sudden the rose that acted as a film on the way I saw the world had been rubbed off my glasses. The easy-going, relaxed nature of my youth was replaced with cautious eyes, and an over-protective, mother-knows-best instinct. I've never had a wart of any kind, but it seemed with the first newborn cries, I suddenly developed the biggest wart of them all – worry. Sure, I analyzed things in University, but in real-life, I rarely thought analytically. Like I said, and then I had kids.

Or rather, babies! What does that cry mean? Is he hungry? Does she need a new diaper? Is she teething? Sick? Hurt? Is it too sunny? Too cold? Is that person holding the baby properly? Supporting her neck? Avoiding the soft spot? Is the bath water too cold? Too warm?

Now that they've become their own walking, talking, thinking, little people, I've noticed that slowly the mothers-instinct-in-overdrive has calmed down and a more trustworthy, reliable inner voice has developed. Case-in-point – My 5 year old just attended a full-week of day camp! Sound like no big deal? It is when you consider we've only ever let family babysit her, other than her one morning a week of preschool.

But oh, how she has thrived! She has thoroughly enjoyed her drama, music, art, and of course dance that has occupied a full seven hours a day of this past week. She's come home tired and exhausted, but always raring to go the next morning.

I hadn't realized it until a good friend pointed out that it sure must have been a big step for us, not just her. Was she ever right! We have spent the week congratulating our daughter on her big feat. Full day camp! Learning two lines in a play! Being away from home! Eating a lunch from a lunch box! Learning a dance in a week! Making new friends! I hadn't even thought about what an accomplishment this was for us. We let her go. We allowed her the opportunity to grow, have fun, and express herself without our watchful, protective eyes. We allowed her to swap one safe environment for another. We didn't show our stress or worry because we knew if we had, she would have melted in tears at drop-off.

But the fact is, the week has been just about her. I haven't analyzed or worried (as much as I probably could have), and while I have been excited to pick her up every afternoon, I was also happy to drop her off each morning because I knew she was loving every minute of it. Her happiness trumped our want/need to have her close by, and we rarely looked back.

Here's the thing – maybe when our kids start getting their own groove, maybe when they become a little more independent, and just maybe when Mama is able to let go a little too, Mama might just find she's able to get her groove back too! And that's good news for parents with babies! It does get better! You do find your inner peace eventually (some quicker than others, apparently!), you do get your groove back!