a sign of times to come???

Is it a bad sign that even at such a tender young age Emma is particularly argumentative with her mother? It came as a fairly big surprise to me one day when I realized that she was indeed arguing with me. Our “arguments” usually go something like this:

While riding in th car, she sees a a cow that she called a “horsey.”
“Cow,” I replied.
“Horsey.”
“Cow.”
“Horsey.”
“Cow.”

Doesn't really seem like an argument, does it? But when you consider the following conversation, you may change your mind. One morning, I walked into her bedroom wearing an Eeyore nightshirt. She looked at it and said, “cow.”
“Eeyore,” I replied.
“Cow.”
“Eeyore.”
“Cow.”
“Eeyore.”
“No! Cow!”

I guess I shouldn’t be too worried yet. But I can’t help wondering if one day the argument will sound more like this:

“Hi Mom! My friend just got her driver’s license and her parents said she could drive us to Portland for the day, so I’m going.”
“No, you’re not,” I reply.
“Yes, I am.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No, you’re not!”
“YES, I AM!!”


















Oh, dear Lord, have mercy!

my favorite moment

My favorite moment is definitely the moment each morning that I awake to the sound of Emma talking to herself in bed. She has so much to say and it all sounds so important. There is nothing more precious than the sound of a baby’s voice.

My next favorite moment is the moment I crack open her bedroom door and she sees me standing there. Her usual greeting is “hi”, followed by more of whatever conversation she has been having with herself before my arrival. She stands up and begins handing me all of her essential gear… pillow, blankies (sometimes up to 3 of them), and whatever stuffed animal or doll it is that she has slept with the night before. This moment is always followed immediately by one of my least favorite moments of the day, which is trying to get me and her and all of her gear down the stairs in one piece.

Another of my favorite moments is when she has decided that she is hungry and ready for breakfast, which is basically seconds after we arrive downstairs. She likes to have the high chair pulled over to behind the couch so she can watch either Little Bear or Blue’s Clues while she is eating. And she absolutely insists on having her pillow behind her back and a blankie (sometimes two) across her lap while she is eating.

My other favorite moment is bedtime – either for a nap in the afternoon or at the end of the day. At the words “time for bed”, Emma jumps up from whatever she is doing with a cheerful “uh-huh!” and gathers her essentials (pillow, blankie, stuffed animal of the day). All family members get a big kiss and hug and the farewell “Nigh!” After she is changed into a clean diaper and pajamas, we cuddle in the rocker and she requests lullabies, by saying “dance!” from behind her soother. After a few minutes of cuddling and rocking together, she lays down in her bed with her pillow, blankies and stuffed animals and bids me “nigh nigh”, as I quietly let myself out of her room.

And my final favorite moment is each and every moment in between.

lazy days of summer?

summer days go by, lazy and slow.

lazy and slow?? get real! time flies and little girls grow up a little more every day. saying words. acting silly. making memories. turning two. life flies by so quickly it makes her momma's head spin. wish I could turn back time...

I find this a common theme of my musings: slowing down the growing process. but instead of wishing for time to slow down, I ought to make the most of each day and be grateful for each and every moment.