Through The Eyes Of A Preschooler

When is a toddler considered a preschooler?

I think there are many different schools of thought on this, but I can't help but think it's time to let go and move Hannah into that category. It has been a while since she has even looked like a toddler to me, and she's just too smart, too tall, and too agile to still be a 'toddler'. My little baby is growing up.

But don't worry - she's still hilarious.

She's still learning about the world, and that process of learning leads to some funny stuff coming out of her mouth. Life is different through her eyes than it is through mine, and I love looking through her lens.

In Hannah's mind...

The color of this background is called 'wipes'. Obviously, because baby wipes are also this color.

This stuff is called 'scare-up'. (Coincidentally, this is an accurate description for some people):

This is a 'red tayto'. Emphasis on the 'red'. Because the green taytos are not allowed to be picked from the garden:

When this light turns red, even if it is a mile down the road, the logical thing to do is yell "STOP! STOP THE CAR!" 

(Perhaps holding off  a little longer on the traffic education could have prevented some heart attacks. Hindsight.)

And now, mama's personal favorite. This, my friends, is a 'baby jackwater':

Oh, how my world is so much more colorful now that I get to share it with a sweet little mind!

And there is always something on that mind.

Sacrificial Love

As Easter approaches, I find myself thinking about sacrifice.

Such a big word…such a huge meaning. And it ties into love so beautifully.

God’s love for us – sacrificial. A mother’s love for her child – sacrificial. A soldier’s love for his country – sacrificial.

It costs something. It forces us to surrender.

That’s the part of sacrificial love that is scary for a parent – the surrender. The letting go.

At the end of the series finale of Gilmore Girls, Lorelai nervously rattles off advice to her daughter Rory as she prepares to go out into the big world, and Rory stops her and says, “Mom. You’ve given me everything I need.” (Tears.)

I hope my children say that to me one day. I will be joyful and proud on the day they are ready to embark on their journeys on their own. I know I’ll be sad, too. That’s the sacrifice – giving up what you want for the sake of what they need. I just hope that I’ve learned enough about sacrificial love to put it into practice in my own life.

What if she makes choices I don’t like? What if she decides to move far away from home?

What if he joins the military? What if I have to let him go off to war and wonder where he is every single second of the day, wonder if he’s safe?

Will I be able to sacrifice well? Will I be able to squelch the part of me that says, “Stay with me. Be my baby forever”?

I’ll have to because I want them to live, and live well.

After all, that’s the point of this life, isn’t it? To love each other wholly and unselfishly. To learn what it means to love in an unfailingly unconditional way, the way that God loves us.

On this Good Friday, I’m remembering that He loves us all – whether we return that love or not, whether we want it or not, whether we deserve it or not – and that is the way we should strive to love each other.

That is what I want out of life - a lifetime of living lavishly in love.

(Try saying that five times fast.)

Favorite Photo Link Up: My Little Red Riding Hood

This week I'm joining in the photo linky at Growing Up Geeky. I have too many favorite photos to choose just one, but as I was looking through all of our many memories, I came across this one and immediately knew I had to choose it:

It's certainly not stellar photography (it was actually taken with the video camera), and there were so, so many sweet photos I could have chosen, but this one speaks to me in many ways.

I love that it's goofy - it captures our family's spirit perfectly. It's a cute Daddy/Daughter moment...it makes me smile...and what I mostly love about it is that it speaks to the time in my life when it was taken. Hannah was at a beautiful age (there is a sweetness about the 9-12 months age that I adore), and it was the time when I began to feel most at ease with motherhood. Everything just kind of gelled, you know?

It's amazing how one image can stir so many emotions and evoke so many memories. Check out more beautiful memories at Growing Up Geeky!

Born On April Fool's Day

Every year when April Fool’s Day rolls around, I only have one thing on my mind.

Cake.

Because who doesn’t love cake?

Actually, I crave cake on this date because today is my birthday. It really is, though I’ve received my fair share of reactions of disbelief. As if I’m lame enough to think that telling people it’s my birthday when it’s really not is a hilarious practical joke…

No, I’m just so lame that I don’t even attempt pranks, but since I’m always acutely aware of the date on my birthday, I don’t fall prey to them easily either. Bonus.

It’s kind of nice having a birthday on a holiday that’s not really a holiday. It’s not like Christmas or Thanksgiving, when a birthday could easily be overshadowed by holiday festivities, but it’s enough of a holiday that people remember it, and in turn they often remember me.

Perhaps they associate me with ‘tomfoolery’ as well, and that’s okay too because I’m silly, and I know it. In fact this birthday is quite fitting for me because I enjoy being a goofball and have an annoying habit of laughing at everything, even if it’s not that funny. My sense of humor is a little too extensive.

Anyway, while all the pranksters out there are gearing up for their yearly stunts, I am thinking about turning another year older. The passage of time has never bothered me. I guess I’m lucky to be one of those people who doesn’t lament a year lost, but rather sees it as the beginning of a new one - a fresh start. Maybe that will change in ten or twenty years. Who knows?

All I know is I’m thankful for the life I have, and I feel blessed to have made it another year on this precious earth. My heart is full of gratitude, and my only birthday wish is to have a long lifetime of giggles with my children.

Enjoy your day of silliness!