Sweet Eden

Eden,

Tonight I started going through your old clothes to see what we could use for your baby sister ("We-wah"). After spending half an hour digging though 0-3 and 3-6 sized clothes, I took a good long look at you, and I swear if I didn't witness the transformation one day at a time I could hardly believe you're the same person as that tiny baby. I remember holding you with one arm, and now when we cuddle in the rocking chair at night your head is on my chest, your bottom is in my lap, and your legs hang off the side.

Tonight as I sang "You Are My Sunshine" to you, stroking your forehead above your nose in that way I've done a thousand times, you started to fall asleep and I almost lost it staring at your sweet, almost-baby face. I love who you are, right now. And I desperately want to hold onto it, before it slips away. I know the next phase will be amazing too, but I honestly can't imagine that any stage is better than this.

You talk in sentences, and the (most of) things that come out of your little mouth are hilarious and sweet at the same time, if for no other reason than that they come out in that tiny voice like music. You play independently for stretches of time, speaking in a surprisingly understandable narrative as you go. You run and jump and love your rain boots (you put them on yourself!). You're about 98% potty trained (you still have accidents when we don't pay attention to how long it's been since you've been to the potty, or when you get really distracted). You sit in a booster seat at the table and sleep (yes! Thank God, you sleep! Most nights, all night long!) in a big girl bed. (Oh, but we shouldn't call you a big girl - "I not a big girl I EDEN!"). You still love to cuddle sometimes, but you also want to "do it MYSELF" a lot. You have a routine, you know the routine, and you let us know if we've deviated from the routine.

You're full of joy - your eyes light up at the simplest things and I adore that about you. Last weekend we went to a church retreat and you discovered acorns, and when Brennan showed you that the tops come off you thought that was the best thing ever. You learned that Jesus made the acorns, that squirrels ("squaaarts") eat the acorns, and Jesus made the squirrels, and squirrels live in trees, and Jesus made the trees (I didn't even have to tell you that last part - you got it all on your own)! It is so sweet to hear you say "Jesus make acorns"!

One of my favorite looks from you is this quizzical look you get when you're asking a question or something doesn't quite make sense. The other day you noticed a bruise on my leg and you said, "Mommy, you have a boo-boo? You want me clean it?" with that little look. (When I said OK, you ran to your room and came back with your little broom, and proceeded to sweep my leg.)

You are amazed by airplanes. Every time you hear one, your eyebrows go up and your mouth forms a little "o" and you have to stop what you're doing to try to find it. And if we ask where it's going, the answer is always the same (it's also where the squaaarts go when they run away) - Oklahoma ("Hama").

You've grown up so much, and I just can't believe what a beautiful little girl you've become. Sweet Eden, I absolutely love being your mommy. I thank God for you, for the opportunity to be your mother, and I pray for wisdom about how to do that.

I just wanted to let you know I love you, and I think you're pretty amazing.

Love,

Mommy