Love, Mommy

Dear Buggy,

I love you. (I can't ever say it enough.) I've been thinking a lot lately...about how much I love you. It's still pretty unbelievable to know you love me back! I feel it, but now that you're becoming more vocal, it melts my heart when you say, "Lub you, uh MOM-MY." Seriously, I want to cry when it happens.

You've officially learned that a lot can happen when you're asleep. Mom and Dad watch TV, we talk, we clean. Your parents are pretty exciting people so I could understand why you'd want to be awake with us. You've become really great at postponing bedtime. (I think I've said that before, but now you're really good at it.) You call for Mommy and Daddy to sit in your room. I love that you miss us both, but I hate that you make us sit there so you can open and close your eyes a thousand times to make sure we're still sitting there. Although, the other day, we had a special Mommy-baby moment. You let me hold you in your rocking chair. That would be the second time since you've been born that you've ever let me rock you for more than five seconds. Then I put you in bed and said goodnight. It. Was. Amazing. Thank you for those 20 minutes, baby. You have always been so independent that sometimes I yearn for the moments other mommies have with their babies, laying together, or rocking them to sleep. You, Buggy. You're no average kid. You were born a tiny baby with a mind of an adult- ready to do things on your own, even if your tiny body wasn't able to. Now that you're at an age where you're free to roam, your independence has increased and although I love that you can play alone and help put away toys, I do love the few moments where you will just allow me hold you like a baby.

Thank you for all of the amazing moments we get to spend every day afterschool. I get up really early to get to work just so I can come home early so I can have two extra hours with you before bedtime. I won't lie. I'm tired. I'm exhausted- sometimes on the verge of tears, but it is all worth it. You are worth it- every aching bone in my body from carrying you up and letting you down, all of the exhaustion from an early morning, long day at work, and long afternoon with an energetic you. You are worth it.

Daily after school pic in front of the construction cones. You are so strange. Why do you always insist we do this?