Our Family Stone: Surprises

I woke up this morning to the usual happy chatter of my daughter in her room. Most mornings, she wakes up (at random times) and will lay in her crib for about 15 minutes content to chatter at the Carebear Mobile, her bumper pads and quite often her toe toes. It's one of my favorite times of the day. Not only because that means I have another 15 minutes of bliss in my own bed before having to jump into the day but also because I love hearing what she'll come up with. Some mornings it's a garble of noises others it's mostly "Dadadada DADADA!!!" and on the occasion like this morning it's "Mamamama Mumumum MUM!!"

The final "MUM" in that string of conversation sounded to me like she wanted my attention. So I dragged my bedheaded butt from my snuggly warm bed and headed in to check my girl. What I found, kinda knocked me off my feet. There in Bethy's crib was Bethany - standing at the rail! This is a new developement and one of many that are starting to make one fact clear. We are on the verge of saying goodbye to a baby and hello to a toddler. A little girl who when I walked into the room shouted (in a Bethy morning voice) "Mum! Mummy!" As much as it may have been coincidence I am telling myself she knows me and is learning what to call me, nicely. Instead of "AAAAHHHHH, WAAAAAA"

This past 2 weeks have brought on change upon change. She now pulls herself up on the couch, her crib, loves to walk around holding your hand and wails as if you have plucked each and every one of her eyelashes when you sit her down, yesterday demonstrated that she knows how to climb stairs, (I almost fell over watching her head up the stairs at Grammie and Papa's house. Good thing that's a slow moving process.), army crawls/swims everywhere - quickly and copies anything/anybody she can. These changes I'm sure are to blame for the 1st GREY hair I had to pluck from my own head just recently.

Yesterday I come around the corner to find her with my duster. Assuming it was in her mouth I crouched down to scold her when I found that she wasn't eating it, but rather dusting! Hooray! She's not only brilliant she's helpful. It was too cute watching her dust my computer. Not so cute arguing with her not to shut off said computer.

The past 10 and half months have flown by and part of me is waiting with baited breath for each new change and accomplishment. It's exciting as a parent to see your children grow and mature and change. And a little bit sad - the other part of me is missing my baby. Thank heavens I still catch glimpses of her at night, cuddled up with me in the rocker in her room singing her to slumber, or the little girl who just wanted to be held this past week when a cold rocked all 3 of our worlds.

They'll grow and change, but somethings will remain the same - we love her and she loves us. And as old as she'll get that's all I really need to know.

3 Days old - so tiny