dear stella // you are growing up, my love

dear stella,

oh sweet baby girl, you are hardly a baby anymore.  how and when did this happen?  i knew it was inevitable, but it came upon me so fast.  i do not feel very prepared, but i am doing my best.

guess what little one?  you have graduated from your very Midwestern mullet and now can sport a tiny bun!  it's too cute for words, really.  and you really enjoy reading (which makes your english teacher mama quite proud), running fast everywhere you go, and splashing around in the tub as the white clouds of bubbles transform into your new favorite toy.  

life, it seems, is one wild adventure and you sure know how to make the most of it.  i am eagerly learning this from you with each passing day.  lately, you have been concentrating deeply when doing many randomly cute things, such as organizing your puppa's dog food into a line on the kitchen floor.  and then there are days when, one by one, you place those tiny kernels of food into his bowl for dinner.  such a kind big sister you are.  

and let me tell you about this intense stare you have going on, girl.  those gorgeous hazel eyes of yours have a unique look about them, a look that can stop traffic, or so the saying goes.  i adore watching you open them widely, creating this serious gaze that gives off the impression that you are pondering life's mysteries. often times i try and assume what you are thinking about in that curious mind of yours.  are you reading my lips?  determining what to say next?  or, rather, thinking about swinging at the park?  that is, of course, your happy place.

i cannot forget to mention to you that you now can shake that decisive head of yours no AND yes.  yep.  you can tell your mama and dada just what you want with a little nod and it just melts us, even if you tend to tell us no more often than yes.  you can say "no," too, and well...that's fun in it's own way.

we are having a ball figuring out how to be the best parents to you.  this gig is constantly shaping us and presenting new challenges.  believe it or not, you can be quite a handful...and, ah hem, sassy.  but that's why we are here, to guide and direct your sails, kiss your knees when you fall, teach you how to be gentle when giving "hugs," and SO much more.  

i cannot wait to look back on this fleeting moment, when you were right smack dab in-between baby and toddler stella, for it's indeed one incredible time in all of our lives.  we are so very grateful for each and every moment.

love, your mama