Dear Amelia

Dear Amelia,

Yesterday, I read you 1,714 books.  Actually, it wasn't 1,714 different books.  It was about seven different books that added up to 1,714 times.  And most of the books weren't stories.  They were books of pictures that either you or I pointed to and I said the name.  So I couldn't even act it out or sing it or assign new voices. Every time you handed me a book, you climbed your chubby body into my lap and snuggled in to listen to the most fascinating book in the world to you.

By the end of the day, I felt like I couldn't read (if you call it that) ONE MORE BOOK.

But then I thought -

There's going to be a day where I'd give anything for you to snuggle your body into my lap to listen to a book.

And there are moms out there who would do anything to get the opportunity to read their child one more book.

And there are people out there who would do anything to have a child to read a book to.

And I was humbled.  And I would love to read you My First Word Board Book as many times as you want (and even more!).

For the curious, this frilly dress girl is reading a Red Sox board book.  :D

Dear Amelia

Dear Baby Girl,

You woke up at 2:30 this morning (not your norm), and as I sat there and nursed and rocked you, I looked at the big girl on my lap and wondered these things:

• When did you get to be so big?  You stretch across my lap and over the arms of the rocking chair now.
• When did you get so much hair?  It's blond and wispy and beautiful and it might be curling over your ears.
• When did you get to be so mobile? You crawl around everywhere now (and get your head jammed in the end of the crib because you don't back up).
• When did you get to be so beautiful?  You've always been adorable, but you are just so beautiful now!
• When did you get to be so fun?  You love to play with us and laugh and smile.  You make me laugh and smile all day long!
• When did you get to be so smart?  You figure things out and recognize words and songs, wave and clap.
• When did you get to be so opinionated?  You know what you want, when you want it, and where you want it.  There's no distracting you.  You will pitch a fit if you don't get your way.

I'm looking forward to you walking so that we can hold hands and talking so that I know what's in that funny head of yours, but right now I want to freeze you as my baby girl forever - in your butterfly feety pajamas, with your chubby hand holding mine, where you always need me.

Love, Mommy