Special Moments

"Gobble, Gobble, Gobble."

I looked at my dog, Peanut sitting on top of the couch and asked him, "Did you hear that?" He lifted his head off the couch and silently stared at me.

"Well, I know I heard a turkey, Peanut. And we live in the city, so something's up."

I got up from my seat on the couch and went to view the baby monitor. There in broad daylight was a turkey's butt walking across the top of Baby Girl's crib! I couldn't stop laughing because I had given her what I thought was a soft turkey to cuddle with while she slept. Instead, Miss Smarty Pants had figured out that if she squeezed the turkey it would gobble. So there she was-instead of sleeping soundly, she was walking the turkey across the crib making it gobble! It's those special moments that make me so happy to be a momma.

Lately she has given me plenty of things to laugh about. I suppose it's her age combined with her independence that makes her so darn cute...just like the other day when I saw her grunting from behind the couch and I said, "Baby Girl, did you poo poo?" She looked at me, sort of embarrassed and said quietly, "Poo Poo." It was the first time she'd ever said that and I just had to chuckle! Sometimes I look at her and I think she's older than her years. But I have to take a step back and realize she's only 18 months old. I can already tell she has momma and daddy's spirit-introspective and emotionally beyond her years.

And creative! The Hubs and I are just stunned with her sometimes! Like the other night when The Hubs and I were talking on the couch and I said, " It's awful quiet. Where's Baby Girl?" We got up from the couch and noticed a toaster and blender laying out on the kitchen floor. But noooo Baby Girl. So we hollered for her and what do ya know?! The bottom cabinet door flew open and out popped Baby Girl.

"Hellwo," she called.

And stunned at her craftiness, all we could say back was, "Hello."

It's those special moments that make me say, "Thank you God for allowing me to be her momma." Every morning I wake up excited because I know I get to spend the day with my Beautiful Girl. As someone once said, "It's like Christmas all over again. You wake up and wonder with excitement what special thing will happen today."

And it's those ending moments of the day that leave my heart satisfied. Laying in the rocker with her, I always sing a made-up song I've sung to her since the day she came home.

Precious Precious Angel

Sent from Heaven Down to Earth

God Gave You to Me,

So I Could Take Care of You.

And the song ends and it's time for prayers, "As I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep but if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take...God bless Baby Girl. Make her grow up to be strong, kind and caring. God, thank you for giving me this child. Help me to be the very best mom I can be. Amen."

We rock in silence until I hear soft deep breathing and then I quietly lay her in the crib, rub her head and whisper, "I love you. Night Night."

As I turn to leave, she lifts her head off the mattress and says in a tiny voice, "Bye Bye."

And my heart just aches because I realize I've just been given another special moment from God.