You are my sweet little one.

Colette, if I had a nickel for every time I heard "enjoy this time, they grow up so fast" I could pay for your college education...including your medical degree! I try not to take this statement lightly because I have heard it so many times I am smart enough to realize that it must ring true. However, I know no matter how hard I try to soak up these moments, they will still be gone in a blink and I'll be left standing there, a few gray strands on my head and wrinkles around my eyes telling a new mom to embrace these precious times. You're already getting too big too fast. Not a day goes by where your dad and I don't comment on something you said or did that amazed us. How we delight in you! Every little word that comes forth from your mouth oozes cuteness. Your dad said yesterday that even when your in the midst of one of your crazy fits of rage you are so cute! We love you from the tips of your piggy tails down to your little painted toes. Thank you for the gift you are to us. It makes me sad that you'll never really know or be able to see the way we love you right now, the way we gaze upon your little body in awe of all you accomplish. I suppose we'll always look at you in this special way, but it will bear its own changing image as you age. I don't want you to grow up. I'm afraid we'll lose our precious little girl. My little girl that walks out of our bedroom every morning as I'm doing my prayer time, hair looking like she was just electrocuted, eyes scrunched shut saying "I'm up mom". My little thinker who spends hours alone in the playroom accomplishing puzzle after puzzle with her little mouth open and tongue hanging out in concentration (just like dad). My little dynamite who is so fiercely stubborn that she refused to eat an animal cracker the whole ride home from church unless she could hold the container (to which I said no so you persisted in screaming for it the whole drive). My little mom who admonishes her sister saying "no no Mae Mae..." time and time again. My little acrobat who is always jumping from couch to chair, climbing over and under pews at church, and running down the hall to jump onto the couch. My little dancer who is always spinning around in her "pretty pretty" skirts to music sometimes only she hears. My little musician who asks me to sing songs over and over and over, right now she is especially into "Old MacDonald" to which she insists there is a reindeer and Santa on the farm! My sweet girl who asks for snuggles, and "rock a baby" and gives me sly little kisses when no one is looking. I delight in you my little joy. My gift. My lover, my friend. My dear girl I hope that the world can appreciate all that you are and all you have to give to it. She may be little, but she is fierce. This girl is on fire.