Her Imagination and Moments I Want to Remember

Even during the "heavy heart" kind of times (like tonight when I just can't shake that "wish it were easier FOR HER" feeling after a weekend of realizing how very much my girl WANTS to be on the move), this little smile LIGHTS UP MY WORLD.

This was Sammie B on her way to the moon. Right before she said, "one two three four BLAST OFF!"

Her imagination just wows me some days. Like last night, we sat at her little table to have dinner, and she took her place mat, wrapped it around her water cup, handed it to me (as if it were a present) and said, "happy birthday, mama!" (I, of course, thanked her profusely for such a fantastic birthday gift.). And, lately, rather than reading books to her, she has been enjoying me making up stories. I'll stop along the way and let her fill in details, and she LOVES it and begs for more. Want to hear sweet one? Last week, I was making up a story about Winnie-the-Pooh running into a little girl in lavender glasses while he was out on a walk (she of course filled in that the little girl's name was "Sammie B") and then I said, "Sammie B was out walking with her very best friend," and I stopped, curious who Sam would say was with her, and she said, "BABY MIA!" And my heart melted. Melted.

On an unrelated (but super cute) note, last night, as I "poked" bites of macaroni-and-cheese with her fork for her, she said "thank you mama!" after each bite. (Our journey to self-feeding with utensils has now evolved to me poking, then her putting it in her mouth . . . inchstones. The little turkey will totally do the whole process herself for her nanny but insists that I do the poking on my watch.). Thanked me for every bite. Could she be any sweeter? I don't think so.

Her magic is my light. I adore her.