Two and one half
Dear Everleigh,
As your legs lengthen, your hair thickens, your vocabulary expands and you become more skilled at almost everything, it becomes clear to me that you are no longer a baby.
But you are still my baby.
As fiercely independent as you are at two and a half, you still melt into me in the morning when I pull you into bed with me; you still let me nuzzle you and cuddle you and squeeze you (sometimes just a little too hard). I know this won’t always be the case.
Your little spirit continues to move me. At this age you want do everything yourself, including taking your own diaper off, rolling it into a ball, attaching the tabs and chucking it into the garbage. When we lay your coat on the floor you “flip” it over your head and it’s on. You want to “cook,” “clean” and help with just about anything. We said goodbye to your stroller ages ago, it seems. You walk—run—everywhere.
Your joy for reading continues to grow and we make our way through longer, more complex stories now. You have such great empathy for all of the characters you have come to know, making sure to hug and kiss each bear, ant or penguin that meets any unfortunate event or happening.
Everleigh, you are an old soul. I know this with all of my being. It’s in your controlled reactions, the way you care about people, the way you know things. You and I have a connection that will carry us through even the hardest of doors slammed, curfews that will surely be missed, that awful “hate” word when it’s inevitably hurled at me through tears and frustration, which you will feel guilt over and I will forgive you for because we all say things we don’t mean in the heat of anger.
A wise woman (Jessica) once told me that all children are babies until they are three. You are quickly approaching this number. I am desperately trying to pedal backwards, slow down time with you, in order to breathe it all in a little more delicately. At the same time, I’m so excited to continue our journey, our conversations, and watch you as you grow from a little baby into a little lady. You will be able to write your own ticket in life. Of that, Everleigh, I am sure.
All my love,
Your Mommy XOXO
