Monday, January 14, 2008

My Rose

Emily Rose turned 13 months today. She's all sugar-and-spice-and-everything-nice. There's nothing sweeter than her hugs! She squeezes hard, lovingly pats, and makes a soothing, humming sound. The boys never offered affection or even "I love yous", until they were about three-years-old. Of course, they received our affection always, but I don't remember them being the offerers this early. If this is one of the perks of having a girl, I'm so enjoying it!

Emily began walking about three weeks ago. How proud she was and what a delight to watch! Her gait changed daily until it took on its present style, just two days ago. It's much steadier and she's fairly quick, in a slight-drunken sort of way.

Besides walking, she's also begun giving balls a sort of walking kick. She delights in her power to use her foot to do something so neat! As she's walking around kicking, I sense the focus of a soccer player.

She is waving and saying "Hi" and "DaDa" and "NaNa". She was making m sounds in the past, but not recently. Not sure if "NaNa" is a word, but the other two certainly are. She is a quiet, busy, easy-going, joyful baby. Loves to dance, like Mommy. Definitely has the boogie gene.

Today she pulled a dish towel off the oven handle and began "wiping" the kitchen floor with it. Next, she stood up, put her foot on the towel and began moving it around to "dry" the floor. It took me two seconds to realize - Oh my! - she's mimicking me! When our floor is somewhat messy but not enough to need a mopping, I wipe certain areas with a wet paper towel and skate around on a dish towel, drying. I used my most proud, high-pitched Mommy voice to tell her what a good helper she was. Then I clapped for her and said, "Good girl!" The look of joy on her face was something to behold!

I don't love her more than the boys, I swear. I love them all equally and can discern and appreciate their respective gifts, truly. But, that Emily! That Miss Rose - as I love to call her! It's as though God thought of all the personality traits I would find most delightful and endearing, and put them all into one child! I so delight in everything about her. She is so different from the boys, so gentle, sensitive and somehow very intuitive. We're connected in a special way, maybe because we're both girls? Can't quite put my finger on it, but I don't think it's something the boys would ever mind. I think they would get it, actually, like they get that Daddy is better at playing with train tracks and that Daddy gets excited about things like remote control helicopters, while I don't. I just, in my paranoid, bossy way, point out all the ways they might poke someone's eye out.

Really, who's got time to dwell on money worries, old-car repair nightmares, and almost-42-year-old aging skin, when there are three kids in this house just waiting to be delighted in, to be tickled, hugged and squeezed. My Dear God, I love being a mom! Thank you.

Just now, it is nearly midnight, and Emily has begun crying for her nursing and cuddle time. Although I would love to sleep through the night - hasn't happened much in the last six years - I wouldn't love saying goodbye to these sweet, quiet, nighttime nursing sessions. Sleeping through the night is always bittersweet, in my book.

2 comments:

Betsy said...

Don't you just love it when they start to squeeze back? It's the most amazing feeling. I always wonder if hugging feels as good to them as it does to us. Sweet post.

Anonymous said...

After seeing hoe Betsy inspired you to start your own blog I decided to take a stab at it too. Thanks for showing me that it can be done. :)

http://danielle-undressyoursoul.blogspot.com/