Image Map

May 7, 2012

::the one that brings on the words::



her first sleep over and she used all her words on daddy driving home. i was desperate to be invited into her experience. longing to know how this first milestone felt to such a tiny one. five years old. seems too young to venture out without mommy. wasn't it just yesterday that she completely depended on me for everything. she craved me and the milk i carried that nourished her growing form. and today, she has no words to share.

i asked her to go on a run/walk with me. i have found she is a great running companion and words seem to spill over when it's just the two of us. we started off through the grass in our yard, that desperately needs mowing, and made it to the road behind our house. just as i thought, the words came without pressure. she spoke with excitement about her two tattoos, one ariel, one tianna and how nice it was for the guest of honor to share them with everyone. she wasn't afraid to go to sleep because she had someone sleeping beside her. my social butterfly, finding great comfort in the not being alone. she went on about ants that hid under the picnic table she discovered and the bread she was given to feed them. she delighted in new friendships formed and has already planned to have the guest of honor to our home for another overnighter.

we imagined power buttons on our bellies, that when pressed gave us extra speed to run super fast. i followed her lead and pushed my button each time she did. waves of dirty blonde hair flowed softly behind as she focused on the goal. that mailbox. that roadsign. that house. her hazel eyes, round and soft looked up with such pride at her accomplishments.

i cheered and praised knowing this would be only one of many accomplishments in her life.  i've got your back little one. i will be forever be your number one cheerleader. your number one supporter. your shoulder to cry on. your grace giver. this is my privilege and calling as your mommy kiddo.

heading home, a little fatigued, we slowed down a bit. funny how slowing makes room for more. more conversations. more imagination. more discovery. more knowing one another. slowing gives us time to notice the unnoticeable.

a robin egg lay cracked open on the side of the road. it would have been missed if we had been running.  we talked about the possibilities of what happened to the baby bird that once resided there. and why this egg was blue and most other eggs white. the shell now in the pot with her cactus, a sure prize to keep.

we went on a hunt for dinosaur bones, my future paleontologist. raptors and t-rex's were both discovered.

we picked flowers and made wishes on dandelions.

she told me more than once she loved me and that i'm a great mommy. words i never get tired of hearing. in those moments, she was mine and i was hers and all the world stood still for our memories in the making.

what memories did you make this weekend? 


*linking up with the better mom

2 comments:

  1. love this post...as i think of my own precious chats with my 5 year old daughter.

    ReplyDelete

words are like honey, sweet to my soul, so feel free to share yours.