For Lucy

When I was growing up, a wish of  “Happy Mother’s Day” to my mom inevitably induced a response along the lines of “Thank you! It’s a special day because of you – I feel so grateful to be your Mother!" (My mom has a profound ability to turn any compliment right back to the giver – it’s uncanny.)

So, in like fashion, and before this year’s Mother’s day season fades, I want to tell my little Lucy how grateful I feel to be her mother!

Lucy, I love your love for life! So many times you have pulled me out of the mundane and into the magical with a phrase like, “come an’ dance, Mama!” uttered in your sweet, expressive voice.

I love the way you say “sorry!” so sincerely every time I bump into you, or bang your appendages on the car door or ceiling as I put you in the car seat.

Your dad and I never really thought much of the way you would lift your shirt or dress high above your head, exposing your little round middle. Pretty typical move, we assumed. But I did mention to you once as I pulled your shirt back down that we should try to keep our tummies covered to stay modest. And now? You would do well in the company of covered-to-the-ankle pioneers. Often now when we lift your shirt to change your diaper, or even occasionally when you notice that your shorts or pants allow some bare skin on your legs to show, you say “modest,” very soberly, and make a valiant effort to pull, push, and manipulate the fabric to cover the exposure. The other day when we were stopped at a stop light, you saw a girl ride a bike in front of our car. She was wearing a sports bra and some biking shorts. “In-a-underwears!” you cried from your car-seat with peels of laughter, “silly!”

Our lives are colored these days with all kinds of your bright expressions. “Great!” “Sounds good!” “Let’s do it!” “How fun!” "No Pwablem!" “Hell-o_____(mama, tiger, birdie, ca-pillar)! “Nice-a-see-you!” And we can’t quite get over the humor of how, after you demand something you want, like “snack!” or “milk!” and we rephrase your demand into a request, “would you like something to eat, please?” or “could we get you a drink of milk, please?” you say, “yeah, Oh-kay!” so casually that it seems as if the idea was suggested by us in the first place.

I love the way you call my two pound hand weights, “heavies.” I felt really validated one day when you said “Hard!” after you had soberly watched me lift them for a few minutes.

I love the way you're so intrigued by your shadow! You love to "walk on shadow tummy" and you got so frustrated the other day when you realized your shadow was "Stuck! Stuck!"

I love your sneaky smile and your scrunched shoulders when you close your eyes to pray with us.

Yesterday I did not love the way you had put all of your milk-y cheerios into the pocket of your bib while I was doing dishes – until I heard you say excitedly, “Cheer-o-s in a fort! So fun!”

Little darling, your companionship is so dear to me.