Maddie Girl (IMO, a tear jerker)

(<-Not wanting to pose with brother)
So I have had a couple of posts on here about my little man as his little story has just recently blessed us and is new and exciting. However, after seeing my little peanut become extraordinarily clingy today I have realized that maybe it is time to devote a little more time to her. Maddissyn is a beautiful and intelligent little girl who is growing, it seems, by the second. I cannot believe that she will soon be two and no longer a baby. She is full of fire and passion and is, I am sure, destined for great things.
Just a few days ago I was listening to a song by Jodi Benson called Here in My Heart., and I first thought back to how I hated listening to this song with my mom as a little girl as I did not want to think about the day that I would no longer be living as her little girl, but instead as a young woman who must care for herself. Now as a mother myself, all of those old emotions and feelings regarding this song came flooding back and along with them came an understanding of what my mom must have been thinking and feeling as she listened to these words so many years ago. Here are the lyrics

I don't want to kiss you good night
So I'll just keep on holding you tight
'Cause baby I know you'll change and you'll grow
You'll get bigger with each morning light

I know that the sky's full of stars
And dreams call your name from afar
I'm anxious to see all you're going to be
But I'm sure going to miss who you are

But I'll keep you right here in my heart
And I'll memorize each little part
'Cause one day you'll grow and I'll miss you so
But I'll keep you right here in my heart

Each tooth that you gain or you lose
And each time you'll need bigger shoes
Each step that you take will be further away
But to stop you is not what I choose.

These fingers that curl round my hand
Must do things that no others can
I know you're not mine,
But God's own design
And I want you to follow His plan

But I'll keep you right here in my heart
And I'll memorize each little part
'Cause one day you'll grow and I'll miss you so
But I'll keep you right here in my heart

Its a beautiful song that makes a mother think about her responsibility to her children. I admire the way in which my parents chose to raise my sister and myself and am grateful for the independence that they always aimed to give me.

When listening to this song with my little girl I begin to see visions of what may be. To see where God may be taking her and who or what may lie on her path. I learn through this song that every moment must be cherished as her years of being little will soon be gone.
On a lighter note, I want to record some of the funny and cute things she has been doing so that I might have these memories to look back on. She is so curious lately, wanting to learn new parts of her body every day. She knows her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, cheeks, fingers, toes, tummy, belly button, and hair and has started pointing to her forehead and shoulders to learn their names. She loves to play pretend and is constantly making me some delicious plastic food in her kitchen. She is going pee and poop on the potty and is very excited after she goes #2. She claps for herself and says "yaaa, good job"! (Don't mind the poop in the picture, I couldn't resist showing everyone just how proud of herself she is).It seems her favorite word lately is MO!!!! (no, she doesn't say the n). She loves to dance and is obsessed with music ( I will not be surprised if she becomes a musician or singer). She is obstinate and has quite the attitude. We definitely have our hands full with Maddissyn in the area of attitude, however, behind her attitude is a sweet and kind hearted little girl who makes friends with everyone (though sometimes she needs a little encouragement in this area). I sometimes find it hard to place her in the category of being shy as she is so sweet and friendly and very far from shy when she is around people she knows, but sometimes my little peanut is shy. At the playground when she encounters little kids around her age I have to remind her that she needs to say hi, not just stare at him or her. She quickly recovers and quickly makes friends despite here somewhat shy demeanor. There is so much more I could say about her, but this post is getting kind of long.

I want to conclude this post with a challenge. Write things down, make a point to record even the smallest of milestones in regard to your children. We think now, when we are in the moment, that we will always remember, yet I find myself forgetting something that I thought was important or sweet just last week or even yesterday. Don't count on being able to remember (especially when raising small children), make a point of remembering. Don't let one moment slip away because our children truly do change and grow with each morning light, so cherish every morning (even the really bad Monday kind) because soon enough our children will be grown and we will long for a Monday morning where cereal is spilled on the floor, spit up is all over our shirt, and we have already changed half a dozen diapers all before 9am.