Sunday, November 17, 2013

Yes, yes.....we're in the SWEET SPOT!!!

We are officially there.

She's no longer an infant.  Not a toddler (whew, thank goodness!).  Long ago graduated from preschool.

Still several years away from the tween years.  The teenage stage seems distant (although I try not to look at it staring at me from the horizon!). 

Sophie is smack dab in the middle of the loveliest stage of childhood.  THIS is why we have children.  It is golden and delicious and I don't ever want it to end.


Yes, of course, it has its heartbreaking moments.  Like when she let Clara carry her stuffed animals in a store and she said, "Well, I'm seven now....I can't walk around with stuffed animals."  Or when she looked up at me from her bed one night and said, "Mommy, you won't need to read to me anymore....I can read myself now."  Other parents might celebrate that moment.....but my whole existence for the past several years has been about reading to my daughter in bed at night.  That's just WHAT I DO.  I celebrate her reading abilities and her desire for privacy to devour the world of books.  But I will always want to read to her.  So we compromised and she agreed that I could still read a book or two TO HER several nights a week!


But then there's this:  She'll still hold my hand when we walk home from the bus in the afternoon.  Sometimes she'll even run off the bus and jump on me....in front of other people!!!  And she told me last night, on a Saturday night, that she was disappointed she didn't have any homework.  What did I do?  I made some up so we could work on it together.  Last week she asked if she could do Math at school instead of recess.  WHAT?  For a couple of weeks she requested that she and I go to breakfast alone one weekend.....and when we finally got to, she asked for bagels....and while we were eating those bagels, she said, "Mom, I love eating breakfast alone with you."  Sophie still thinks it's super cool that I'm her Girl Scout leader.  When she recently told me that her favorite day of the week is Thursday, she explained that it's because I work in her school library on Thursdays and we get to walk in to school together.  She tells me pretty regularly that I am the best Mom ever and that she's lucky to have me.  My heart overflows.


Those first years were long.  Some were really hard (her entire third year for example!).  But I now experience the payoff every single day.  Sophie is just so, so lovely.  She's creative and interesting.  When she wants to be, she's as sweet and joyful as a doughnut with pink frosting and sprinkles.  I think most people would qualify her as a really happy child and she laughs a LOT.  Her teacher says hearing Sophie's laugh is one of the bright spots in her day.  Mine too, I always tell her.  Most of the time, she's sweet to Clara and I hear Sophie teaching her little sister all kinds of things.....little things, big things, silly things, important things.  I'm not a rookie Mom anymore and I know all these childhood moments are fleeting. I don't intend to miss any of them.  I eat them up in my own beastie way.


I LOVE nothing more than being in Sophie's presence.  She constantly makes me smile and laugh and feel good.

Sophie Annabelle, you are such a gift and I treasure you with every tiny little ounce of my being.

9 comments:

  1. So sweet and I'm happy you are cherishing these days! Precious girls!

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    1. Hi Jeanette! I do hope you're doing well. I see you on Pinterest quite often....you creating anything? I'd love to see it on your blog!!! Thanks for your comment, of course, as always!

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  2. Oh, this brought tears to my eyes! My C. will be 24 this month and I remember his little hand going into mine so easily as we walked along when he was so little! These days FLY by so enjoy them!
    Both your daughters are just lovely girls, but that is how it should be with such a great MOM! (And Dad, I am not forgetting your influence!) xx

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    1. Kay, you're so darling!!! Your comments always make me smile so. I'm about to leave to go to the library to pick up a copy of Unbroken (I was on the hold list for FOREVER!). I'm so excited I hardly know what to do with myself. It made me think of you, of course! XOXO

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  3. Oh gosh, I love this post, Audrey! I was JUST thinking about you and your girls this morning. How you are in the early stages of your daughter's lives and how that will change with each passing year. I was feeling sentimental about Carrie being all grown up and on her own, and I loved thinking about how you still have your little girls at home where you can enjoy them every day.

    I love that you have such a sweet relationship with Sophie. It reminds me of Carrie and me. And you know what's really cool? At 25 she still holds my hand when we are out in public. LOVE!

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    1. That is AWESOME, Deb! I always love when I see grown women still holding their Mom or Grandmom's hand out in public. It's so sweet!!!

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  4. O yes, a very lovely, sweet, sometimes poignant spot. It is indeed why we have children.

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    1. Your girls are right in there now as well!!! If only it weren't so much work to get to this stage! Ha ha. I did enjoy the others but oh my did they have their tough moments.

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  5. What a loving post on your beautiful Sophie! Print it and save it somewhere special for her to savor decades down the road! And kudos on your reading compromise! Sharing books aloud is important long beyond now! Thank you for sharing your precious daughters and you!

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