poor baby

Little Sister, who turns two next month, has officially entered two-dom.  She has really been changing physically lately – looking more and more like a little girl. She is growing out of her babyhood. I realize that sounds painfully obvious, but it constantly suprises me. And sometimes it is so hard to watch.

She’s so frustrated. And she is trying so hard to be a ‘big girl.’ She goes in and sits on the potty (fully clothed) and cheers “I did it! Yay!!” She tries to sleep in her sister’s big-girl bed. She insists on not using a sippy cup if her sister doesn’t have one. But she still loves to be rocked and cuddled in the rocking chair in her room. She still carries her blankie and sucks her thumb. She still loves when we call her “Baby girl.” She still calls me “Mama.” I’m not sure I’m ready for her to grow up yet.

She is such a sweet kid. I love listening to her pray every night (“Thank you God for my fam-a-lee Aaaaaaa-MEN!”). I love hearing her sing the alphabet (“abceeeed, efgeeee, hijj, llllpeeeee, now i know my a-b-ceeee, now i know my a-b-meeeeeee.”) I love her kisses. And her cuddles – she is a major snuggle-bug. She makes my heart melt at least once a day.  It is so hard to see her getting so frustrated. She has turned in to a first-class drama queen this week. The slightest thing can set her off — she wants the blue cup, not the purple cup, she is hungry, Big Sister runs faster than her, the sky is blue, etc — and suddenly she is throwing-herself-on-the-floor-kicking-and-screaming. While Big Sister and I look at each other thinking, “What?” Poor thing.

I know she’ll get over it and, before I know it, she’ll be graduating high school (and probably throwing a whole new kind of fit). I know that. Its just so easy to wish these years away. These years of diapers, tantrums, messes, potty training (shudder) and constant sleep deprivation.  But I don’t want to. I want to treasure this time that is flying by so fast. This is my baby that’s growing up here. Much, much too fast.