Mena's Third Birthday

Mena celebrated her third birthday on the 30th of May. She is such a big girl. She's strong willed yet loving. A no fear thrill seeker, yet is terrified of water in her eyes. She'll tell anyone who listens that she starts ballet classes in the fall but clings to me in private, "I don't want to go to pre-school, I don't want to leave you".

She can't wait to have a new sister now that she's seen the ultrasound and accepts that there is a baby in mommy's tummy. Now she likes to read to the tummy and has even offered to share her Lambie with the baby!

I've been sleeping in her room at night because the twin mattress on her floor gives more support and is more comfortable for my girth right now. Last night she climbed into bed with me because she was scared by the "monster" pile of clothes in her room that need to go into storage. Finally waking at 9 a.m. she looked up at me, "Last night I got lots and lots of cuddles".

I've come to believe that most of her fits that went beyond the normal two-year-old tantrums came from a place where Mena knew that I have spent too much time at school or on schoolwork, Jacob, church responsibilities, housework, etc. and not enough time cuddling her. Her favorite place to be is on mommy's lap and now that I'm home my lap is too big to hold her comfortably. And there are days that I just can't get enough of my beautiful Mena and worry that I have failed her in some basic way.

I remember when she was born and we were in the hospital together without anyone visiting. I would put her little naked, diapered, body inside my nightgown so that we were skin to skin and we would lay together for hours. My princess. I promised her that she would always be my special little one. As family came to visit I would become anxious if they held her too long and she wasn't in my arms.

All mothers have to make sacrifices when raising their children. Whether with time, money, other responsibilities, and sometimes even self.

I really appreciate this quote on motherhood:
"Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together." ~Pearl S. Buck

And I'm grateful to all the mothers who are part of helping my children become their best selves. Grandmothers, Aunts (and my children are blessed with LOTS of aunts from many generations, those with children and those without, who absolutely adore them), friends of mine, teachers at church and at school.

Yesterday, Mena and I were talking again about her baby sister in my tummy, when I added that someday she might have a baby in her tummy too. And we giggled and tickled over that. While tickling I thought about how someday she is going to go on her first date, have her first heartbreak, then another, and another. She will go to college (YES!), she may serve a mission, most likely get married, have her own children (through birth or adoption) and live a very full life, if we are so blessed.

But like usual I get ahead of myself. I'm really working on living in the present. My theme song these days is: "Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the moment last. Just, kickin' down the cobblestones...doo doo doo doo, and feeling groovy!"

Here's to my groovy little 3 year-old Princess Baby Mena!