Adeline,
How is it possible that you are almost two years old? As I sit here typing this I am watching you prance around the living room with your sippy-cup dancing to "Pizza Angel" from your favorite Veggie Tales episode. You amaze me with how much you can communicate with us now. Not only have you mastered 'yes' and 'no' but you have also started nodding your head yes and no in response to questions. It seems just like yesterday you were sitting in my life cooing and grabbing for things. Now you take things to the trash can and feed yourself, and you even peed in the potty for the first time the other day!
I can't believe just how fast time flies. You are still your daddy's spitting image but you have your mama's stubborness for sure. You get so frustrated when we don't understand what you want the first time and my heart goes out for you. I know that as you continue to grow you will get much better at asking for things specifically. We are trying to be patient and let you go at your own pace.
I am reminded over and over that this is the time that parenting begins getting tough. Now is the time that we have to put into action all of those things that we said we'd do "when we have kids". Disciplining you is hard. I totally understand what 'this hurts me more than you' means now. Having to tell you no, or remove you from a situation when you are screaming is never easy. More than once we have left a store or the church service because you can't calm yourself down. I'm not going to lie, sometimes being your mama is tough right now. Sometimes it's embarrassing, but I have to keep telling myself that this is just a phase. We have been through so many phases with you and I know that there are so many more to go through.
I love how you call me "MomMom". You will sit in your crib in the morning asking for me to come get you. You also have started cuddling with me at night right before bed. This is our special time. You rarely want your daddy before bed so after our nightly bedtime routine I will sit in the rocker and hold you and we'll just rock and talk for a few minutes until I lay you down. I cherish these times when you are quiet and still and I try to quiet my mind and just live in the moment.
You are the best big sister! I can't believe that there was ever a time when I worried about how you would adapt to having your sister in the house. On a daily basis I am brought to tears by the love and compassion your show Eleanor. Every morning you burst out of your room yelling "Sissy!". You can't wait to find her and hug her. You always ask "Why she cry?" with your eyes huge with worry everytime she makes the slightest whimper. You are a great helper when it comes to feeding her and changing her diaper. I can't wait to see the bond that you two are going to have. As hard as it is sometimes having you two so close I am so glad we did.
I know that this road is still just beginning for us. You are going to continue to change and to mature and to develop your own little personality. I know that we are going to have our rough patches and we aren't always going to be each other's best friends. And I'm okay with that. My job is to be your Mama and to raise you and care for you and to teach you to love others and to love Jesus with your whole heart. I know that this will be hard in the years to come. Right now I am going to love on you as long as you will let me. I am going to sing and dance and cry with you. I am going to spend every single minute I can with you. These are the moments that I will hold onto when we don't always see eye-to-eye. I am now, and will always be, in your corner. I am your Mama. It's the best job in the world.
I love you sweet girl,
Mama
