Stopping time

Dear Lucy,

Today you are 24 months and 24 days old.  I went to an open house for a Parent's Morning Out/preschool type thing to see if we were interested in enrolling you in the fall.  I know it was just for a one day a week type thing, but it made me feel like you were very grown up already and I was looking at schools, etc.  Sometimes I feel like time is rushing past me and that you will be five and ten and twenty-one before I know it.  Other days it feels like you can't grow up fast enough because I have so many exciting things I want to do with you when you are old enough.  But just for today, just for now, here are some random tidbits about you that I love so much and that make me want to stop time.

The way you slip your little hand into mine while we pray at bedtime.

How you get SO excited to rush into Ian's room the very second you hear him wake up.

I'm amazed at how you connect things we've talked about and some things we've never really discussed ... like how the fire trucks on Ian's onesie are the same ones you see occasionally and you knew they made the same siren sound, which you are great at demonstrating.

I love how you persist in saying "hold you" when you want to be held, even though we always tell you it's "hold me".

How you trust me and you like to walk with me and hold my hand.  Even when Mommy can't find the right building and I make you walk all over creation, you sweetly just held my hand and walked beside me like such a big girl with no complaints.

You have such a caring heart, my baby girl.  You get very concerned when other babies or kids cry, especially Ian.  Likewise you love to see other babies and kids smile, and you really just love babies.

You are funny and you love to share. You are observant and exuberant.  You love to read and you love to count things (except you only know "1, 2..." so you just say "1, 2, 1, 2" over and over).  I'm so happy you're mine, Lucy Frances, and I know your Daddy would say the same thing.

I love you,
Mommy