To my fearless child,
You let me rock you this morning. It seems minor and pretty commonplace for a momma to snuggle and rock her toddler but you my sweet girl, are like a gale force wind whipping through our tiny townhouse. As we speak, you are running past me in a tutu shouting out words to your own made-up songs, as per usual in that tireless half hour before nap time.
You let me rock you this morning. It seems minor and pretty commonplace for a momma to snuggle and rock her toddler but you my sweet girl, are like a gale force wind whipping through our tiny townhouse. As we speak, you are running past me in a tutu shouting out words to your own made-up songs, as per usual in that tireless half hour before nap time.
We had a super busy
week this week and I was vacuuming the living room while you laid on your tummy
playing with your Little People. You walked over to the vacuum and switched it
off, looked at me and giggled. I squatted down to turn it back on and you
hopped up wrapping your arms around my neck. I lifted you up, realizing that
when your feet were dangling, they almost reached my knees.. and then mommy had
one of those ultra sad/happy moments that moms get when they realize their baby
is not a baby anymore.
You rested your head
on my shoulder and for a full 15 minutes, I swayed back and forth just listening
to you breathe. Every couple minutes you would chime in with a few new verses
to your original ballad called “You are my good mommy.”
I hope this coming
year brings you good fortune. That your spirit grows and your soul is filled
with everything you need. I hope that when God humbles you, as he does with us
all, you meet your challenges with grace and not with tears and tantrums. I
hope you feel loved, even in time out. I hope that you understand mommy is not
trying to be mean when she doesn’t let you have a second donut. I’m trying to
teach you self-control. I hope you learn at least one new thing each day and
that you find something beautiful to be thankful for before you go to bed each
night.
Tomorrow you will be
3 years old. You have spent every day of your life with me minus 1 and tomorrow
we will celebrate that day- the day you were brought into this world and began
changing so many lives in such colossal ways. While at times, I seem tongue
tied when it comes to expressing how grateful I am that our arduous battle with
the court system is ending in such a beautiful way-- what I can tell you with
all the honesty in my heart, is that every second I get to spend being your
mom is a second I wouldn’t trade for the most precious of golds.
You are fierce and
beautiful- brilliant and kind. You are determined and willful and inquisitive.
A princess and an athlete. You inspire me every day to be a better person, to
love God even more, to try new things, to fight for the things I love and to
look at small things with a childlike appreciation. You my sweet child are a
blessing that I don’t deserve but by God’s grace you’ve landed here in my
living room, in my arms, with your head on my shoulder. I love you baby girl.
Happy 3rd Birthday.
