A Few of My Favorite Things

Messy hair. Saturday mornings. Fluffy pettiskirts. Pink fingernails. You.

All my love forever.

Mommy

10 Things I Love About You

Dear Anna -

Every day you are changing, and doing and learning new things. So before you start doing and learning something else and my memory fails me, here are 10 things that I love about you, right this minute:

1. How you think that everything you eat turns your tongue a color, and you constantly stick it out when you're eating and tell me to look at it. Then I have to pretend that grapes turn your tongue a really cool shade of green or that bananas make it yellow.
   
   
2. How you have heard your daddy tell me "no makeup" before we leave for work in the morning so many times, that you think it's the natural companion to "goodbye" and "I love you" - and how you've used it recently on both Daddy and MawMaw much to our amusement.
   


3. How any injury can be cured with a kiss, a bandaid, or a baggie of ice. Sometimes all three if it's a real tragedy.
   
   
4. How sometimes, you just spontaneously give me a huge, tight hug and say, "I love you, Mommy" with such emotion, for no reason at all.
   
   
5. How when you sing certain songs at home, they are immediately followed by, "Can I have a sticker now?", just because you get a sticker when you sing them at school.
   
   
6. How every time we read a story or watch a movie, you're always asking me, "What happens next?", no matter how many times you've heard or seen it.
   
   
7. How you have to bring at least one of your "babies" everywhere we go, and how you make us put them in a seatbelt when riding in the car.
   
   
8. How when you do things yourself, you are so proud and say that you did it "by my own."
   
   
9. How you are obsessed with matching, and are constantly pointing out ways that we "match" - if we both have necklaces on, if we are both wearing sandals, if we both have a sticker on our hand. And if Daddy makes your milk in a sippy cup with the wrong top, you refuse to drink it until he finds the top that "matches".
   
   
10. How every night before we say our bedtime prayers, you make us all dip our hands in imaginary holy water before we make the sign of the cross.
    

Can't wait to see what I'll love about you next, baby girl!

All my love always,

Mommy

Rose-Colored Glasses

Main Entry:
rose–colored glasses

: favorably disposed opinions : optimistic eyes


Here is my Anna. In her Princess pajamas. With her Princess blanket. Feeding her Princess Aurora doll a chocolate chip cookie. For emphasis (in case the "pink" or "princess" theme wasn't obvious enough), I even processed the picture with Eye Candy's Vintage Overlay Pink Princess action.

Toddlers see the world through rose-colored glasses. . .

In their world, there are only two times of the day: nap time and play time.
In their world, there are no mortgages, no bills, no worries.
In their world, there is no hurt that Mommy & Daddy's kisses can't heal.
In their world, even dolls can eat dessert. And never gain a pound.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all have our own adult-sized pair of toddler goggles? The world might just be a little...well, rosier. And that's always a good thing.

Thank you Anna for constantly giving me perspective, and for making the world a rosier place just by letting me be in it with you and see it through your eyes in beautiful rose-colored glimpses. You are such an unbelievable blessing.

Love, Mommy

Love Letter #5

Dear Anna -

You're getting to be such a big girl.

You love smelling and picking flowers.
You love coloring and painting.
You love bubbles.
You love playing with your "babies".
You love eating Dora yogurt and "pops".
You love watching Elmo and The Wiggles.
You love carrying your blankies around.
You love "helping" me cook.
You love using the potty.
You love hiding from me with Daddy.
You love dancing with the lack of inhibition only a toddler could have.

And me? I love YOU. Everything about you. More than you know. Always will.

Love, Mommy

Love Letter #4

Dear Anna -

It's been a while since I've written one of these letters, but that doesn't change the fact that my love for you grows every day - so much that sometimes I think my heart is going to burst.In the last few months, your speech has really exploded, and you're getting really good at communicating to us things that you want or need.

Here are some of your favorite things to tell us right now:

• "I Play" - Let's play tea party!
• "I Eat" - Feed me!
• "I Potty" - I probably just wet or dirtied my diaper, but let's go sit on the potty anyway. Maybe I'll get to play with the toilet paper or flush. It's fun!
• "I Slide" - Let's go outside to play on my new swingset and collect rocks.
• "Puppy?" - I love Bailey and I want to see her. But don't let her touch me, or I'll freak out.
• "Homey" - Hold me. Now. Or I'll keep saying it over and over until somebody picks me up!

And you're so smart already, with such a great little memory! I read to you every night before you go to sleep, and we read lots of different books. But no matter what, "Brown Bear" is always on the lineup. You say the words with me ("what do you SEE...looking at ME"), and you always know which animal is next, even before I turn the page. I ask you what sound each animal makes and you're always happy to oblige, which absolutely delights me.

You love to sing and dance. Sometimes, we'll be trying to wind down in the evening by watching Elmo with you while you drink your milk. A song will come on, and you'll look at us and say "dance? dance?" as if you're asking permission to get up. And boy do we love to watch you dance with your cute little bouncing, clapping, enormous grin and booty-shakes!You bring so much light and life into our lives every second that we spend with you; sometimes Daddy and I just lie in bed at night talking about new things you did that day and how much we love you. (It's A LOT!) It's definitely a nice last thought before closing our eyes at the end of the day!

Until next time, baby girl...

Love, Mommy

Love Letter #3

Dear Anna -

When we walk out of the front door to our house, I love how you always stop at the step and wait for me while I lock the door, usually without even a reminder. Then, as I catch up with you, you always look up at me and reach up with your hand so that I can take it in mine and help you down the step even though you're really big enough to do it by yourself.

I don't know if you don't know you can do it by yourself, or if you just like the extra reassurance. I really don't care why. I would never pass up an opportunity to hold your perfect little hand.

Love, Mommy

Love Letter #2

Dear Anna -

The best part of my day is when I pick you up from daycare - that exact moment when you catch a glimpse of me through the glass of your classroom windows. Your whole face lights up, and you run over to me as fast as your little feet will move. Your little arms are outstretched, and I know that you want to be held just as badly as I want to hold you.

I cherish that moment every afternoon, and I will as long as it lasts because I know there will come a day when you may instead beg me to let you stay just five more minutes. For now, it just doesn't get any better than that.

Love, Mommy

Love Letter #1

All parents love their children. That goes without saying. But there are lots of different reasons why and lots of different ways we show it. That's why I've started the "Love Letters" series.

So, here's the first...

Dear Anna -

Sometimes, after you've fallen asleep and are off in dreamland, I still feel like I haven't gotten enough of you for the day. So instead of tucking you into your crib right away, I'll hold you for hours while you sleep and watch the rhythmic rising and falling of your little chest. I'll breathe your sweet little smells, kiss your cheeks, and run my fingers through your soft hair. And I'm in heaven because there is no place else I would rather be than right there in that moment - holding you. My sweet Anna.

Love Always, Mommy