egoldber
10-01-2003, 08:51 PM
Sometimes it takes time away to really see your child.
DH and I went away for a long weekend (Wednesday to Monday) and MIL came and watched Sarah. DH and I had a terrific time and the girls (MIL and Sarah :) ) did too. They took "field trips", baked cookies, painted, and started new routines.
But what struck me the most when I came home, I looked at Sarah and realized that she is NOT a baby in any way, shape or form. She is a little girl. For example, her new thing is imitating me. Not just doing what I'm doing (vacuuming or whatever). But I catch her all the time trying to hold her hands the way I hold mine or sitting the way I sit, or holding her head the way I hold mine. I am overwhelmed by the cuteness and at the same time my throat tightens at the awesome responsibility that implies for me.
Out of the blue, she has developed an amazing sense of humor. She "tells" jokes and does funny things to get me to laugh. And she will try to use humor to deter me from "disciplining" her.
Another new "rule" is we have to count steps as we climb them. It's hysterical because she only knows 1, 2 and 3 and not necessarily in that order. So as I count 1-10 (about 100 times a day) up our front steps, she carefully counts out "3, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3.." with as much thought and consideration as any mathematician.
She loves her preschool so much it almost makes me feel inadequate! She runs in the room without a care and has a terrific time babbling at me about all the fun she has when I pick her up. She gives her favorite teacher a big hug when we leave and her new word yesterday (and she doesn't have that many) was "teacher". I am so proud of her for making this transition so smoothly and at the same time, in a small inner part of me, I am almost sorry that she doesn't miss me more and that I am losing my baby!
I don't know what I'm trying to say here, but I just wanted to share the incredible sense of joy, awe and sorrow I have felt all week, watching my little girl get so big.
DH and I went away for a long weekend (Wednesday to Monday) and MIL came and watched Sarah. DH and I had a terrific time and the girls (MIL and Sarah :) ) did too. They took "field trips", baked cookies, painted, and started new routines.
But what struck me the most when I came home, I looked at Sarah and realized that she is NOT a baby in any way, shape or form. She is a little girl. For example, her new thing is imitating me. Not just doing what I'm doing (vacuuming or whatever). But I catch her all the time trying to hold her hands the way I hold mine or sitting the way I sit, or holding her head the way I hold mine. I am overwhelmed by the cuteness and at the same time my throat tightens at the awesome responsibility that implies for me.
Out of the blue, she has developed an amazing sense of humor. She "tells" jokes and does funny things to get me to laugh. And she will try to use humor to deter me from "disciplining" her.
Another new "rule" is we have to count steps as we climb them. It's hysterical because she only knows 1, 2 and 3 and not necessarily in that order. So as I count 1-10 (about 100 times a day) up our front steps, she carefully counts out "3, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3.." with as much thought and consideration as any mathematician.
She loves her preschool so much it almost makes me feel inadequate! She runs in the room without a care and has a terrific time babbling at me about all the fun she has when I pick her up. She gives her favorite teacher a big hug when we leave and her new word yesterday (and she doesn't have that many) was "teacher". I am so proud of her for making this transition so smoothly and at the same time, in a small inner part of me, I am almost sorry that she doesn't miss me more and that I am losing my baby!
I don't know what I'm trying to say here, but I just wanted to share the incredible sense of joy, awe and sorrow I have felt all week, watching my little girl get so big.