For you, Charlie

Charlie,

Tonight you were a little cranky.  You didn’t want to eat your braised chicken (sorry, I know it was a Weight Watchers recipe, but I thought you’d like it!) or your applesauce. You only wanted milk and pretzel crackers. I agree, those crackers are like crack and we’re hooked, but we cannot eat them for dinner!  We have to try to get some veggies and fruits in there somewhere, not to mention protein…

Anyway, you were kind of testing my last nerve, and your daddy was late getting home, and I was tired (as usual), so I decided to open up one of the blogs I read, one that is written by a daddy who has a cute little girl not much younger than you, and is a video editor. He posts these great videos on his blog of his little girl eating and dancing and running around. I pulled you into my lap and started playing videos and you were entranced. At one point, a baby came on the screen, and you reached out with both hands, grabbed the computer, pulled it close to you, and put your head down on the keyboard, giving that baby a hug. What a love you are.

I held you close, and we listened to the music in the videos and rocked back and forth, and I got teary-eyed thinking that some day, you’re going to push me away when I try to pull you into my lap. Already now when I ask for a kiss, you shake your head back and forth. It’s pretty funny – you’ve just figured out how to say no by shaking your head, and now you answer about 99% of questions that way. Little jokester. You have realized that laughing is fun, and you make yourself laugh by screaming at the top of your lungs and then dissolving into giggles. The screaming makes my ears feel like they’re going to bleed, but somehow it’s worth it to hear that deep belly laugh that follows.

A few minutes ago, we heard your daddy coming through the door.  You yelled out “Daddy”, and hopped off my lap to run over and see him, and then followed him down the hall to our room. I love that you’re suddenly so independent, marching around the house after what you want.

You may be a little slower than other kids your age right now, but that won’t last long.  Overnight, you’re changing.  You’re saying so many words, and signing lots of new signs, and moving so fast, and insisting on having things your way. You are so FUN right now.   Being your mama is the best gift!