Sweet River Roll

Along with being one of my favorite Waterdeep songs, much of my life is spent rolling along after my sweet River Elizabeth, my 2 year old daughter. We have so much fun together, and recently it's been even more fun because of the stage she's in. Yes, ask anyone who knows her, and you'll hear what a handfull she is. Full of energy and purpose, and dedidcated to completing whatever task is at hand. I've been enjoying instilling my favorite pasttimes...watching a movie while having popcorn and hot chocolate, going to Starbucks or Barnes and Nobels, cuddling in a chair with a good book or two, eating dessert in the middle of the day, dancing, singing, and being so silly we laugh until our sides hurt. It's great, and every day it gets better.

The recent phrases have been really cute. Hearing other children phrase things differently, I have wondered how she would phrase different thoughts she has. Like "I want to do that" comes out as, "I do!" "I do!" Or, when she wants a bite of something, "I do hom!" (I want some.) I've been going a little crazy with the same question about 3000 times a day, "Dat, Mama?" For what happened, or what's that? She asks it even after I give her the answer! It's adorable, but in the moment you sometimes want to say, "I JUST TOLD YOU!"

However, I'm amazed at her constant infatuation and wonder of life. She is so able to celebrate life without being inhibited by all of the insecurities that we who have lived a while have developed. She doesn't stop to think "Are they an ok person to say hello to?" before shouting out "HEY!" to someone walking down the street. Nor does she get squirmish when her Daddy and I tell her how incredibly beautiful she is, or how great a job she did at something. Even though she is only 2, she teaches me how to live the way we were meant to, to embrace what God has given to us in this precious thing called life.