Treasuring my funny girl

Oh the things that come out of a two-year-old's mouth! I remember thinking once when I was younger; how do people come up with new things, jokes and ideas? At some point, isn't there just nothing new left anymore? Well I obviously hadn't spent enough hours around young babes, experiencing the world for the first time. Even the things she says that I've heard before have a whole new ring to them and are hi-LAR-ious!

For instance:

When Addie is trying to get my attention and I don't respond right away, she starts calling me by my first name... "Mommy, Mommy, Mom, Mom... Sara, Sara, Sara!!!" I don't know why, but it cracks. me. up.

My girl loves the show Special Agent Oso on The Disney Channel. When she sings Jesus Loves Me, she says the last line... "Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me Oso." Awesome.

Whenever we are stuck in traffic, sitting at a red light or just not moving fast enough in general, my sweet daughter calls out from her car seat in the back, "Come on, people!!!"

We were reading Addie's latest book obsession, Everyone Poops, this afternoon before nap. When we got to the last page, she wanted to name all the animals she saw. For each one she said, "Cow!" and then laughed and laughed. There were no cows anywhere. We both found it really funny.


Of course there are times when she thinks she's being cute and she really isn't. Or her new found self-assertion becomes a real problem in trying to get her ready for bed or out the door. But more and more, as my belly grows bigger, I'm feeling like I need to savor these moments where it's just her.

I want to cherish the times when I can tickle her and tickle her, without another care in the world. When all that matters is that she keeps shouting, "Again, Mommy!" and beg with giggling that the games continue.

I want to savor the five minutes that turn into twenty that turn into her facing me with one finger in the air pleading that we read this book, "One more time."

In three short months we will no longer be a dynamic duo, facing the world of staying at home as a team of two. We will both have to expand our time, our arms and our hearts around another life that will enter this family and have needs of her own. Pretty soon, I might not be able to sit and watch her every time she comes up with funny dance moves or wants a full audience to listen to a song she made up. My attention will be divided and there are things I'm inevitably going to miss.

No longer being Mommy to an only child will certainly be a challenge and push me outside of a well-orchestrated comfort zone. The adjustment is going to be huge and profound and I am scared. But I also know there are immeasurable joys ahead that I couldn't possibly anticipate. I can't wait to see the miracles unfold as our family grows and how we all will shift to embrace our new baby girl. I can't wait to see Addie in her role as a big sister and see the magic the two of them will create.

Until those moments arrive, I am holding tight to what is here and now... days with just me and my girl. Days of laughing, running, chasing, back rubbing, reading, singing, dancing and loving with all we have. They really do go by so fast.