"Nobody Likes a Wallflower"

Today was a great day. Addison and I had lots of one on one time, which hasn't been happening much lately. It seems like there has been something going on or something that I have had to do everyday and Addi gets the 'short end of the stick'. I know this has made her unhappy and me too. I just haven't been the kind of "mom" that I like to be. So, last night we went to Blockbuster and she picked out a movie..."Cats & Dogs" for us to watch today. This morning we watched cartoons on the couch, played with her dollhouse and dolls, went for a walk, and then got cupcakes. We usually go to the "hey cupcake" trailer... but their cupcakes are huge and I usually eat my cupcake and part of hers! So I opted for smaller cupcakes from Randall's. Anyway, after she was pretty much covered in blue cupcake icing I aired up the airmattress and turned the living room into movie central. Addi actually layed quietly by me and watched the first 30 minutes of the movie. For those of you who have spent time with my child you know that 30 minutes of "stillness" for her is like hours for any other child! Soon after the 30 minutes was up the airmattress turned into a trampoline. I really didn't care, it was fun to see her laugh and fall all over the place. I have missed spending that silly time with her lately... I can't imagine what life would be like if I worked full-time and always missed that time.

Tonight during her bathtime (my few minutes of peace) I was looking at a frame full of photos that hang in her bathroom. Its full of snapshots from when she was a tiny baby. In some ways those photos seem like they were taken forever ago and then other ways it seems like just yesterday. That baby in those photographs looks nothing like the little girl "swimming" in the bathtub, but she is still my baby. I have often thought about replacing those photos with more recent ones (Lord knows I have plenty to choose from!) but I like to remember the days when my baby was just a baby. It makes me think about the day she was born. Ryan and I were so excited. I remember laying in that hospital bed (exhausted) and I wouldn't sleep, I just layed there watching her sleep in her little 'box', and Ryan did the same. Ocassionally, he would look up at me and say "we did that" or "can you believe she is ours". For the first weeks we wouldn't put her down, even when she slept. I remember my mom telling us to stop holding her and get some sleep, but she was the same way! Oh, how far we have come. These days she is down to just one nap, and I can't wait til it's naptime and I can get a break. I long for the days when I could quietly hold her in my lap and watch her sleep. These days I am lucky if she lays her head on my chest for just a moment and then she jumps and runs away. I love my "busy" child but somedays I wish I had a "lap child"... you know, like "lap dog". I have always been a "lap dog" kind of person. Ryan is the busy one and his busyness is so deeply engrained in our daughter that I fear she will never be able to sit still!!! Oh well, the other day I was talking to an older man in the store and he told me to be grateful that I had a curious and outgoing child..."nobody likes a wallflower" he said. I guess he is right, I know for certain that our little Addison will never been a wallflower and will always go after what she wants... hmmm... the more I think about it she is sounding a little more like her mother :)