Beautiful Moments

With my sweet baby girl.

I had such a sweet, incredible afternoon with my sweet Maya today. The day started out challenging. She's going through a flurry of emotional and developmental changes right now. First off, turning 2. We all know about the "terrible twos", but I see it more as "growing up without having the full capacity to read your map." She starts to feel things that she doesn't know what do to with, and she wants things and doesn't have a great ability to express it. That equals frustration. It's challenging as a parent, but also beautiful to witness.

Our new nanny Amelia is really great. She works hard, and most importantly, is sweet. I LOVE that about her. It is such a relief. Every day I take a deep breath and feel such contentment and relief that Elsa is gone and Amelia is here. It would be so hard for me to face going back to work and all the stress associated with that if I didn't feel comfortable with the lady in my house. Amelia helps, and helps with a smile. So nice.

In the mornings Maya has been having a lot of separation anxiety. She only wants me to sit with her when she eats. She wants me to take her to school. I walk her all the way to the car with Amelia and then she throws a fit when she realizes I'm turning back to the house. Today my mom went to visit her at school for "Grandparents Day" and she also threw the mother of all fits when my mom had to leave. She never had separation anxiety as an infant or young toddler. So we have it now. I am sure it will be easier for Amelia in the mornings once I am at work and not around the house.

Anyways, I was in the house with Ethan when Amelia and Maya came home in the afternoon. Usually I hear the door click, and then Maya's little feet pitter patter in, and I say, "Maya! How was your day?" She always has a huge smile on her face and responds with bold enthusiasm. Today was different. She looked so upset and was on the verge of tears. I asked her what was wrong. She pointed to the door and said "outside, outside" over and over in a very weary, emotional voice. I figured she really wanted to be outside, but it was just odd the way she was expressing herself. Amelia took Ethan and I went outside with Maya. I took her and put her on my lap to see if I could understand what the real problem was. She kept whining and pointing towards the tree in our front yard. I asked her if she wanted to see the tree. No real response. The bench? No real response. Then Amelia came out and mentioned that as they were getting home they saw the nanny of our neighbors across the street. They are the sweetest of families with 3 young kids, who Maya loves. Then, it clicked. I asked her if she wanted to go see the neighbors. A huge smile spread across her face and she said, "yeah, yeah" and nodded intensely. My sweet baby just didn't know how to communicate it to me.

We went to the neighbors and she had a great time. When we left she kept wanting to go back to the "neighsay". Apparently that's how she's saying "neighbors" today, once I told her how to tell me she wanted to see them next time. But at least she has a word for it now! My little social butterfly.

At home we played in the backyard, went down the slide, and then noticed a big box in the front yard. Mark had ordered some "Little People" toys for her. She shrieked with excitement when she realized the box contained gifts for her. He had ordered a school bus, complete with driver and fun music, and a big animal farm setup, that came with an animal for each letter of the alphabet. Oh my, did we have fun! She loved realizing that when you put the fish in the water, it made splashing sounds. Or that the monkey held a "nana" in his hands. Or that the tiger really did make that "roar roar" sound. Too cute.

We went to take a bath and she insisted I put a "ba-ate" on her afterward (band-aid). She got into her pajamas and I asked her if she wanted to read a book. No, she'd rather "pay" (play) and eat a "nana" like the monkey. So we went into the kitchen, got her a little piece of a banana, and played some more with the animals.

When I told her it was time to read a book, she said OK, but then immediately, "no night-night", meaning she was OK reading books but not going to sleep. I reassured her. But she said "no night-night" about 10 times to be sure I REALLY understood.

We went into her room and she gleamed with pride at her new clock -- it's her special clock that lets her know when it's time for bed and when it's time to get up. She's still in a crib right now but eventually we will transition her to a toddler bed, and I want to do everything I can to make sure she doesn't come running out of her room if she wakes up at 6 am. The clock is backlit, and it's yellow during the day, or during "awake" time, and blue during sleep time. When it turns blue to indicate sleep time, sweet music starts playing for 30 minutes, and then transitions into white noise all night. When it turns yellow at wake time, sweet music also starts playing. So far she loves it! It's very cute.

We read a story, and then the clock turned blue and music started playing. We finished the last few pages and then she went to grab another book (it's amazing how much she LOVES books). I told her the clock was blue and that meant night-night. And she didn't whine at all. She grabbed her kitty, and her baby and went over to her crib. Wow! Such maturity. I love watching her grow and learn. What a thing to witness.

So both my sweet babies are in bed right now. Sleeping soundly. I have two beautiful, incredible, healthy, happy kids. What a HUGE blessing. Seriously. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, stressed, or less fortunate then others for one reason or another, I have to look at my two beautiful children and just say "thank you."