Update on F.O.B.

In less than three months, my baby girl will be 2.  T.W.O.  A two-year-old.  That's almost harder to believe than when she was turning 1.  Without the major adjustment to her birth, maternity leave, milestones, and countless hours awake with her throughout the nights during her first year - her second year has flown by ever so quickly.  I so often stop all that I could be doing and play with Farrah.  We one-by-one stand up all 9 of her farm animal figurines, saying what noise they make or what they are called, and then lay them all down telling them all night night.  We play with her kitchen set.  We run around (her run is quick, short high steps and it's adorable) and laugh and shh shh her baby doll.  We dance to Daddy playing the guitar.  Or I just simply watch her.

I'm realizing that the way I have kept track of Farrah's progression will have to change.  That's because she has been changing so rapidly.  And the amount of things she does and says cannot be listed out anymore.  She is the center of my whole world.  I can say what's coming next because of the former statement:  She is a beautiful mess.  She's one of a kind.  She's something else.  She's a mess.  She's hell on wheels.  She is her father's daughter in so many ways - she keeps us on our toes, her moods are always changing, and she's unpredictable as can be.  I've been hearing Keane tell Farrah that she is like me in the way that she is caring.  A top priority to her is taking care of the pets (feeding them, talking to them, giving them treats) and her baby doll.  Oh, and she always wants ice in her tea (like Daddy).  She usually only drinks milk or water, but occasionally she'll get her iced tea.

Some of the cutest things she's saying lately is almost as a commentary.  Farrah walking.  Farrah sit.  Rudy schwim!  Awww....SO cuute!!!  Mommy's drink.  Daddy blue shirt.  Farrah all done.  Mommy get it.  

She still cries each morning when we drop her off at daycare.  Except one day.  Last week, on Tuesday, she didn't.  It felt amazing.  Until Wednesday morning, when she cried again.

She loves her daycare teachers and friends.  We name them all each evening and talk about how they all are going night night.  Hadassah.  Caitlin.  Abe.  Lainey.  Kate.  Jay.  Charley.  Marissa.  Paxton.  Azzy.  WayWay.  Nicky.  Phyllis.  

She's really into Roar! (Daniel Tiger)  She always has to have four things with her when we go anywhere: 1) Lambie; 2) baby doll 3) Blankie 4) Paci.  And in the car I usually have to rub her leg and hum.  She requests her sunglasses when it's bright, so we always have those ready.

We have been letting Daddy go in to pick her up at daycare and take her outside with him to feed Rudy and put wood in the stove...trying to help strengthen and foster their relationship, as she is very used to Mommy being her go-to person.  She is so in love with Kaden and Kylie.  The other night she thought she heard Kaden and asked Kaden talking?  And she walked to our laundry room door and asked about six times Kylie home? Kylie home?

She usually doesn't want to take a bath, until she takes a bath.  She's never ready to say good night, but she sleeps really great once I rock her to sleep.  She sleeps in usually, sometimes after 9:00 a.m. and then she is ready to take on the world...but after she eats.

I'm learning that our parenting has to be intentional.  We have intentionally made an effort to provide healthy snacks for her in the car, as opposed to the pecan spinwheels and cookies she had been eating.  Now it's cut up fruit usually.  Farrah's hollaring when someone speaks to her now requires a quick spanking or stern correcting because that is not acceptable.  She has to learn to say please when asking for something, and to do what is asked of her.  What I also mean to say is that parenting is becoming real and harder and constant.

But she's beautiful and smart and quick and silly.  She is learning to catch and throw.  She is always asking that we sing A-B-J (alphabet).  She remembers so much, like the one day we saw a kitten outside her daycare in August - when we were leaving the other day she asked kitty go?  She brushed and tossed around my hair the other night and kept saying Mommy hair pretty!  If only she would have known I would have let her stay up way past her bedtime if she would have kept doing that, ha!

The first stages of motherhood (soaking in, embracing, and feeling) have passed into the stage of motherhood I am currently in now: learning, strengthening, and enjoying.  It's not quite as perfectly ideal.  But it's real and it's amazing and it's rewarding.  I feel so good when she plays out her apology, Sorry Daddy with her little arms stretching tight across his broad shoulders and he closes his eyes embracing our on-the-go toddler.  My day literally feels like a success when it ends with her eating a delicious and healthy meal, giving her a bath, and rocking her to sleep.  When she puckers up her lips for a requested kiss and replies Lud you, Mommy.  

I love you too, baby girl.