Our Little Peach

To the raspberry patch!!!

Daddy was doing all his funny voices putting you in gigglefits!

We spent an afternoon picking peaches and raspberries at a local farm in Maryland. I loved watching your working fervor as you steadily gathered peaches to put in Dadda's bucket. Ode! That determination and concentration!! I couldn't help grinning, as you repeatedly got up after tumbling down in mud, roots, dirt, and rocks. You picked yourself up, crossed the distance, an claimed your peach. Yes! Your chest full as you walked to the wagon and plopped your peaches in the collection. You did it! Your contribution deftly noted with a dash of a satisfied smirk as you hurried away to gather more. Funny thing is, I think my heart pulsed more than yours. I love watching your accomplishments and watching your reaction to them. My big boy! The big helper!

Helping seems to be your favorite thing to do. You mimic everything we do and surprise me by following up with the next step. I have to remember that you have been watching for months and are now able to assist Mommy. You would rather "work" alongside of Mommy than play with any toys. In fact, I can't get you to play with toys by yourself! You will play with your toys with Mommy, but when I get up to do something you follow along to help or come up with your own projects-usually including climbing and finagling something than concludes with messy achievement plays.

Yes, we have definitely transitioned from baby to toddler. We are officially on road to discipline, guidance, and independence. Your small emotional downpours are crying when we have to say goodbye to your friends or if I pull you down from climbing some precarious object. Right now you'll listen and calm down as I talk to you and physically pick you up and remove you from the situation.

There are also these gorgeous glimmers of the big boy beyond when you spill Hero's water bowl and grab the towel (before me!) and sop it up with your hands and feet. When you take the pens out of the drawer and pour them all out on the floor, you pick them up and put them in the case and back into the drawer. Again, I should know by now. But, still...I explode. You are learning and trying and it does my soul well to see it. I raise my hand for high fives and kisses and you race to me smiles bubbling over nailing me right in the gut like a well earned appetite. Something is working. God is growing you and I get to watch.

You have a play that is such eye candy for my musing. When you wake up, you give me a thousand kisses saying different variations on, "mama, maamy," etc. Then you stand up and look at yourself in the reflection of the armoire. You giggle and smile and point and talk to yourself and jump and fall over and I completely love every second of it.

I had this thought the other day of you as a teenager. For some reason, I can't picture you home much. I can see you busy with school, friends, sports, activities and it seems like such a contrast to your current, "have to be with my Mommy all the time" self. I picture myself folding your laundry, sad that I see it more than I might you, and I am glad I have that weird affiliation for washing and folding clothes. Reflecting that I'll not think of the messy house which agitates me, but on all the interactive moments I'm so spoiled with daily. For today we are inseparable. Mommy and son bound up in arms, kisses, and daily plays. You are a fine baby toddler. Crazy loving. Crazy active. Crazy happy. And best of all, crazy mine. I'll take it! Thank you Lord for entrusting me with such a cherub! My sweet, precious, 15 month, summer loving, Shazzy McDucky. I loves you today and forever my little one.

On a Mission!

Oh! Busy little worker bee!