TIME

Last night before bed my husband and I were scrolling through pictures and watching videos of our daughter. She is going to turn two this month. I feel like every day she does something new, says new words, or just amazes me with the things she knows. Although she is still toddling around being an almost two year old, sometimes she just looks and acts like a little adult.

Some of the things I love about her as a two year old.

-She loves to read longer stories. Paddington, Owl Moon, Oh the Places You'll Go and Blizzard are some of our current favorites. I love that she will sit and let me read to her.

-She helps with laundry. She know when she takes off her clothes at night they need to be gathered and taken to the laundry basket. When I am folding clothes she often takes a item out of a basket, imitates my actions, and then hands it to me.

-Words, she is learning so many. She pretty consistently says please and thank you, although her please is pretty demanding. When we are on walks and cross the street she asks to "hold my hand." She loves to talk about the library, grocery store (push the cart), park (slides and swings), pool (swimsuit, floats, nemo and dory).

-She sings. Rain Rain Go Away, I am a Child of God, Give Said the Little Stream, Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She often starts singing so randomly it makes me laugh.

-She remembers. The other day in the car she started saying "little mouse, little mouse, BLUE car!" It took me a while to figure out what she was saying but then I remember a few days previously at the library they had an activity where a mouse was hiding under a car and they would chant "little mouse, little mouse, are you behind the blue car?" It came out of nowhere and was completely amazing to me that she could remember.

Some days I feel the weight of motherhood on me. As she is learning and growing so much I am more aware of the kinds of things I am doing. I wonder if I am doing it right, the whole motherhood thing. Am I teaching her well. Am I acting in a way I want her to mimic? She is currently so aware of everything we do, I hope that my example and what I choose to fill our days with will help her continue to grow and learn and help her to be a happy, patient, brave, confident little girl.

I love her and every phase of childhood we have passed through together. She is my little miracle and the time has gone so quickly since the day I brought her home from the hospital. I love to see her grow and learn, but taking each day slowly and simply is a blessing, I am enjoying this moment, this time.