The Crunchy, Country Mama: High Five for Friday

Today is my baby's birthday. She's 2. TWO. How did that happen so fast?? It honestly feels like just yesterday I was in the hospital in labor... Last night, I kept remembering that experience. I kept looking at DH and sayin stuff like "at this time 2 years ago I had just started to push..." DH went to bed earlier than me, but I ended up being awake at 12:04am, which is when C made her appearance back on this day in 2010. I will never forget the intensity of that moment and the moments immediately after. Maybe one day I'll blog about it.

Having a daughter completely changed me. I've said that before. I look at the world totally different now. I try to see things from her perspective. I remind myself constantly to be calm and patient, that everything is new and exciting to her. She has taught me to find joy in even mundane things. She can make me smile when smiling is the last thing I feel like doing. My heart aches when I'm not with her. I literally feel like a piece of myself is missing. I never knew it would be like this. So wonderful and devastating all at the same time.

Every day she's a little more grown up. She learns so fast, its really amazing. I know all too soon she won't want to give me kisses when I drop her off at Grandma's in the morning, and she won't want me to rock her to sleep. And she won't run to me when something's wrong.

So I savor all those little moments with her now.

I treasure every time her little arms wrap around my neck. And every time those little lips pucker up to kiss mine. Every time she comes to me and says "Mama, hold me."

The only thing I regret not doing with her is starting a book to record the funny things she says. I always tell DH and other people and think I'll always remember it, but I don't. I'm going to start writing this stuff down, though.

I blogged recently that her newest thing is "Mama, my milk's not workin!" when she's drained a breast. At this point it feels like she's never gonna wean, and that's okay for now. I said I would breastfeed her until she decided she was ready to stop, and that's still the plan. When she was younger she never wanted to nurse from both sides in one sitting. Lately, though, she'll drain one side, tell me her milk doesn't work, then say, "Mama I want 'nother milk." And we'll switch sides. She's still so eager to nurse, like she really gets excited about it. Of course, she's always been like that. When she was an infant, she'd shake her head from side to side really fast while she was zeroing in on the breast. It was hilarious. I hope I never forget all the little moments we've shared while breastfeeding.

She's only 2, but she knows her ABCs, and she knows what sound each letter of the alphabet makes. We can hold up a letter and she'll name it and the sound. She can count to 10. She knows several colors. She understands things I never dreamed she'd understand at this age. She is constantly amazing all of us with her intellect. I know every parent thinks that about their child, but C is really special.

I feel so blessed that God decided I get to be C's mama. I pray that she always knows how much she is loved.

So for today's High Five for Friday post, I won't do a typical list of 5 good things that happened to me this week. I won't even make a list of 5 things I love about my daughter (like I originally intended to do). I'll just say that I'm grateful that she is my daughter and give a virtual high five for her birthday and her life. ( :