Worth Everything

Yesterday I received one of the greatest gifts ever.  I was playing in the pool with Marty and Ellie.  Marty, up to his neck with his cute little water wings, came bouncing over to me.

He stretched out his little arms as far as they would go and put his little hands on my shoulder.  He leaned his face in and pressed his cute little nose to mine, with our foreheads together.  In his sweet, precious, two-and-a-half-year-old baby voice, he said with more tenderness than you would imagine a child could express,

"My love you, Mama, all da time."

and then he kissed me.  I hugged him tight and kissed his little cheeks and told him how much I loved him, too, and how good he made me feel inside.

Then, he bounced off to catch a wind-up fish, while I sat there with a heart so full it ached, and eyes wet with more than pool water.

These are the moments we live for.

Totally Typical - aka FANFREAKINTASTIC!!!

Not even an hour ago, Ellie did something totally astounding, utterly amazing, and absolutely typical of a 6-year-old!!!

She was sitting on a large yard ball in her bedroom, bouncing on it.  This is not amazing, this is all day every day.  This is Ellie.

While bouncing, per usual, she did the astounding, fantastic, amazing, typical thing that made my heart leap for joy and tears well up in my eyes.

She said, "Look at me, Mommy!  Look at me!"

She made direct eye contact with me, and said, "Look at me, Mommy!"

Can you believe that?!    I said, "I see you!  Wow!"  She giggled and bounced even higher.  I praised her more.  She bounced as high and hard as she could - and she kept eye contact with me the whole time!

For a few precious heartbeats, my little girl was a typical 6-year-old.