"Annie do!"

“Annie do!”  It’s a new phrase in our house.  Many times it comes immediately after, “No, Mommy!”  As in, “I can do it myself, Mom.  I don’t need your help.”  Our girl is exerting her independence more and more every day.  Several times this week, she attempted to put her socks on by herself.  Last week she tried to get in the bathtub without assistance.  She wants to take off her own coat and brush her own hair.  She wants me to know she isn’t a baby anymore.  And boy, do I get it. 

Every day I feel like more of her babyhood is shed and she becomes more of a child.  And it is both heartbreaking and a source of complete and utter pride and joy.  I have the feeling that this mix of emotions is something I’m going to feel – oh, pretty much forever.  The melancholy feeling of watching my little girl grow up too fast mixed with the relief of not having to do everything for her and the excitement of seeing what she is going to become.  It’s the perfect little parenting cocktail right there.

Discovering her shadow...and finding it pretty unsettling that it kept following her.

And being melodramatic like I clearly am, I find myself thinking a lot about Annie’s future independence as I watch her grow into the toddler version of it.  And I think about how our relationship will change.  Fortunately, I am reminded by my relationship with my own mother that her growing older some day and perhaps becoming more distant geographically does not necessarily mean she will become distant from me in other ways.  

Enjoying a roller coaster at her friend Hank's birthday party.

Having fun with her buddy Audrey.

Cozy-ing up to Gaga.

But right now, in the throws of her clingy little tree frog hugs and her utter delight when David and I think she’s funny or praise her or read her just one more book, it is hard to think there will be a day when that will be different.  When she rolls her eyes at me instead of puckers her tiny little mouth to kiss me.  When she slams her bedroom door to accentuate the fact that she’s upset instead of slams it because she thinks the sound is fun).  I know, I know, this isn’t the stuff of “enjoying the moment” mentality…but the last 19 months have gone so fast, I can’t help but think the next 19 years have zero chance of slowing down.

 Happy weekend!