Day 183 or Lullaby for a Not-So-Two-Year-Old

Tonight, when I kiss you good night, my two year old baby will forever leave me to be replaced with a three year old girl. My baby, my LAST baby, is no longer a baby. So tonight, I dedicate this post to you, my beautiful little diva. Because if I am 38 and growing, it is because of your brother and you. Both of you have shaped the woman I am in your own way and I love you for it.

One day you won't remember that you were jealous of your brother's "peanut" and tried to use the restroom standing up. You will deny that he was your greatest hero and you would do anything to be like him (if dressed perfectly in pink in the process!). You won't remember that red was dark pink in your mind because all things pink are better.

But I will. I will remember that you loved to make blueberry muffins, wanted to eat pink icing and cool whip out of the cans, and that any food on your dad's or my plate tasted much. much better.

Every time you say a word with your miniature human dialect, I try to train my brain to rewind it and replay and yet it is gone almost instantly. Whenever you smile and it looks more like a grimace, I tell my mind to take a picture but it is never the same. I can't capture the moments that make you who you are at this particular time of your life with any accuracy. They are fleeting moments and that is what makes them so precious.

You test me. You push me. You make me crazy. You make me deliriously happy. I am never in neutral with you. I'm either laying down the gas trying to keep up with you or frantically stamping down on the brakes. You are teaching me patience. You are teaching me strength. In other words, you are teaching me the lessons of life.

I love your chocolate eyes that flutter as they try desperately to stay awake. You are so afraid that life will happen in those few quiet hours when you sleep. Trust me, my beautiful girl, life will never pass YOU by. You are a force of nature and I love you.

So goodnight, my baby girl. Good night. Close your eyes and dream of all that life holds for you. When you awake and come to me, hair askew and say "Good morning, mommy", I shall answer back, "Good morning, my big, big girl. Happy, happy birthday. You are such a beautiful three-year-old."

I dedicate this to you, my lovely, lovely girl...(Rod Stewart said it better than I).

May the good Lord be with you
Down every road that you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you're far from home
And may you grow to be proud, dignified and true
And do unto others as you'd have done to you

Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you'll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to Heaven
With a prince or a vagabond

And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young, yeah

And when you finally fly away
I'll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell

But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young