Motherhood is so full of special little moments. Of course there are the big milestone, but it’s the little details that are most precious to me….those tiny unexpected moments of sweetness or humor that fill a mother’s heart to overflowing. At least a dozen times a day there’s some special little something that makes me smile, and I resolve to remember it forever. In that moment, I feel that I will remember it forever – after all, how could I ever forget when my baby did ___________?! But of course, I don’t remember. That which seems like the funniest, sweetest and cutest thing in the world today will fade, and by next week that memory will have been replaced by some new funniest, sweetest and cutest moment.
And so, I try to jot down these little stories so they can live forever on paper (or on the computer screen???) if not in my memory. I have had quite a mental list of cute Nadia stories, but now that I’m actually sitting down to write it seems that I can only recall a couple. I took too long, and now a few more precious Nadia memories are gone forever.
But I do have a couple to share!
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Amongst all the great birthday gifts Nadia received last week was a pair of blue jeans – just plain ol’ dark denim pants. I was glad to get them, as it seems so many little girl jeans these days are covered in embellishments and I wanted just a basic pair that works with anything. So a few days ago I pulled out those jeans for Nadia to wear for the first time.
“We’ll have to make sure you wear a pink shirt with these jeans” I commented. “They could almost be for a little boy!” (As an aside, does anyone think Nadia looks at ALL like a boy? Because as recently as a few weeks ago, I got a “what a cute little boy” comment. Huh?!)
Well, Nadia heard the word “boy” in connection to her jeans, and all of a sudden she didn’t want to wear them. “Those BOY!” she said. “Nana GIRL!”
Well, I’ll be darned! I didn’t realize she even understood the distinction between boys and girls, let alone not want anything associated with boys! I mean, she barely even TWO! Half the time she still misidentifies boys as girls and vice versa. But she didn’t want those “boys” pants. (I did get her to wear them…but it took some explaining that they really are girls pants and yes, Nadia is a girl even if she wears them!)
Fast forward to today. It was another jeans day, this time the pair that IS embellishmented with girly purple flowers. But all Nadia saw was the denim fabric. “No wear, boy clothes!” she said, and threw them to the floor. So evidently anything denim is on her boycott list. (I actually did get her to wear those ones too…but again, it took some convincing).
Crazy little GIRL!
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Any mother can tell you that a lot of things change with a kid in the house. Most of those changes have worked themselves into the fabric of our lives such that I don’t even notice them anymore….it’s simply the way things are. But there’s one thing I don’t think I’ll ever get used to, and that’s having a bathroom cheerleader. It just seems crazy to have a little person beside me as I sit on the toilet, cheering me on. “Yay, Mommy go potty!” she exclaims, her face alight with this great excitement! “Good job Mommy!” She sometimes even offers “high five, Mama!” It makes me laugh every time.
) Nadia has been loading it down with all sorts of things. I think she’s trying to see if she can get everything and the kitchen sink to fit in there. It’s hilarious to watch her role-play with TedBear. First she puts him in the back of the cart and begins her trek around the house. And then she admonishes, “no TedBear, sit down! on bottom!” Apparently her bear doesn’t listen very well, so this is followed by “be safe! sit in front” and she pulls him out to sit in the front seat. “That better” she reports, and off she goes to finish her shopping. 
