Dandelions and Batteries

So, my daughter is 2 1/2. She continues to prove a constant source of creative entertainment for me. You might call her my muse. I think, being an older parent, I appreciate observing her so much more than I remember doing with Trevor at the same age. I think it has something to do with mellowing out over time. As a new parent, I was so consumed with trying to do the job right. With #2, I'm like, "Yeah, I got this." And I just take time to enjoy.

This morning was a holiday (Labor Day). It was great to have the day to relax and be home with family (even though I'm super excited about the new job). Aside from wrestling with the irritation of another flat tire (WHAT?!) on our still very new van (WHAT?!), it's been just about a perfect day.

I rose to greet my sleepy daughter. We ate strawberry cereal together. She helped me make coffee (she likes to help fill the coffee pot, put the coffee filter in the basket, and press the button on the bean grinder to grind the beans). We won't talk about how I winced when she spilled Starbucks French Roast on the counter. (It's just coffee, It's just coffee...my whispered mantra as I cleaned it up. I get very protective of my Starbucks.) She watched her morning cartoons on Noggin, and I sat next to her to read a few verses of scripture while I enjoyed my first 2 cups of coffee. As I was underlining passages, Aislinn said, "Mommy, what are you doing?"

"Reading my bible," I replied with a smile and a wink.
"I want to read my bible too!" came the immediate and very predictable response. (This is a phase...everything I do, Aislinn wants to do too...on her OWN...without any assistance, thank you very much.)

I got her Scholastic "My First Read and Learn Bible." Thankfully, this is a handy boardbook bible. Pages easily wiped off. Because as I was underlining, Aislinn said, "I want to color my bible too!" Enter Crayola crayons to the rescue. Blue, to be exact.

Then, as she was flipping the pages, she stopped at a page showing a picture of Jesus healing a blind man. She said, "Mommy, what's that?"

"That man's eyes are broken, Aislinn. Jesus is praying for him and making him all better. Jesus is nice. He loves us all."

A few moments passed as she processed that information. Then a classic Aislinn response...definitely marking her as a child of the 21st century. "Mommy, that man's eyes are broken! He needs more batteries!"

LOL. Thank goodness Jesus knows how to recharge all our dead batteries. :-)

I kind of love my daughter. I love everything about being her mom. Making her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Brushing Barbie hair for 20 minutes straight. Watching her eat a popsicle and end up with green, blue or red face smears. Playing mermaid with her as she takes a bubble bath. Washing and brushing her hair. Helping her put on lotion. Painting her toes (which she loves to do on weekends). Reading stories, watching toddler TV for hours on the weekends, playing play-doh, cooking with her (yes, I let her help!), and tucking her into bed each night. I love how she says, "I love you too, Mommy" in a sleepy, happy voice when I give her kisses and tell her I love her each night in bed. I love how she's happy every morning when she rises. I love her hugs and the way she wraps herself all around me when I pick her up. I love how she squeals, and dances, and points, and jumps up and down and yells, "My MOMMY is here! My MOMMY is here!" when I pick her up from school. I love how she picks every single dandelion in our yard or at the park, and brings them to me a squished-up bouquet of toddler affection and asks me to put them in water. Which, of course, I do before placing them on the window sill over the kitchen sink.

Thank you, God, for little girls. For replacing our batteries. And for dandelions...lots of them.