Pondering

As I sit here tonight, watching Callie play with "Little People", laughing at herself as she puts the horse into the barn, only to have him fall over and out! I can't help but wonder what on earth her little mind is thinking!

Here I brought Callie downstairs to play with some toys for a little bit. I pulled out her "big girl" legos (the over sized legos for little fingers) and watched her bang them together. She would smile and chuckle at the sounds she was making. Then I pulled down her little bin of "Little People" to see what she would do with them. Now they are much different then I remember them being from my childhood, but they are small enough for her fingers, and big enough for her mouth (that is how I judge good toys for her right now!). She would bring the farmer into her mouth, laugh, smile and then move on to a different animal.

Josh had brought home his "Little People Farm" from his classroom, so out came the Clorox wipes...I started scrubbing it down. When I was finished, I let Callie play with it.

WHEN DID MY LITTLE GIRL GROW UP?? Here Callie was sitting on the floor in her "Play room" that we created for her, legs spread-reaching and playing with these "Little People". She was putting them in and out of the Farm House, laughing and knocking them around. I took a moment to myself to just sit back and watch her. My little (almost) 8 month old, playing independently...having the time of her life!

Josh and I were going through some of her toys this past weekend, and came across this musical bee. This used to hang in her "Play gym" and we'd turn it on so there was always music playing when she was laying there - helpless and "stuck". She wasn't crawling, rolling or moving...she just laid there - looking at these toys dangling in front of her. Josh made the comment "She used to love that bee when she was little." WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE?! WHAT???

SHE IS STILL LITTLE - She's only (almost) 8 months old...

It's amazing how much Callie has changed since we first brought her home. I'm trying to take it all in, to capture everything she does and every new adventure she comes across!

She started making this crazy "TSSS TSSS TSSS" noise! I'm not sure if she is trying to hissssss or what she's trying to do, but I LOVE IT! And waving - lets not forget about waving...the first person she waved to was my dad! He started waving to her, and up her arm went - waving to him :) Now she waves at everyone...like it's her job or something! I think she is practicing her Miss America wave! Watch out Kathryn Knutilla - this girl might have you beat! And she can play her Alligator Xylophone like nobody else!!! And she writes her own music!!

She also started eating "chewable foods". We gave her these yogurt bites, which she loves. At first she wasn't so sure, but now she gets excited when you show her the bag. And she has been eating "puffs" - they are a Gerber snack for "Gerber Graduates!" Big girl...

I find myself looking at pictures of her when she was just a teeny tiny baby and look at this giant of a child that I have...she's crawling. No - correction, she is starting to pull herself up! Yes, Callie Lynae can get herself onto her knees and is reaching up and beginning the attempts at pulling herself up!

I knew that going back to work for me was going to be hard, which it still is (Thank you Jessica for making that transition for me so much easier); however, I had no idea how quickly Callie was going to grow up. I feel like I had a really good grasp of time when I was staying at home with her. I was able to see all of her daily changes, her daily routine, and cherish her fun, sassy personality (I swear she doesn't get the sass from me!) all while spending my days with her. Then the school year started, and I was patiently (okay impatiently) waiting everyday for the clock to strike 3:45 PM so I can leave to go get her from daycare. Then I'm waiting ever so patiently for the week to be over so I can have a weekend with my perfect little family...and then BAM - my weekend is over and we start the work week all over again. Because of this quick cycle, I'm not able to capture these moments like I used to. They are coming and going so quickly. No wonder everyone always says "They grow up so fast..."

HOLY CRAP THEY WERE RIGHT....

My baby girl is now keeping a beat. She dances to Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies" - as if she is a single lady...HELLO, we have an arranged marriage for you Callie!!! Then she starts shaking her little hips to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance...is it terrible of me to let her listen to this? I've decided no, since she likes the beat, and I love watching her little diaper butt move to the music!

Tonight, as I lean over Callie's crib (which has been lowered because she's becoming a big girl), watching her snuggle up with her blankie and giraffe (the blankie that Auntie Heidi made just for her and the giraffe that daddy bought for her in the store), I can't help but thank GOD for bringing me the most perfect daughter! How He knew that this precious gift was exactly what Josh and I needed to complete our family is far beyond me. Her delicate fingers weaved within her blanket (yes, big girl sleeping with a blanket now), her eyelids taking her off into a world of dreams that I can't even fathom. Her little toes poking out of her "footless" pajama's - I could just kiss each toe and then put her feet in my pocket and take them out to tickle!! I stay there, watching each breath come in and out of her - watching her chest rise and fall so peacefully. Her heart is beating so calmly, as if God is there beside her as she sleeps - hugging and protecting her throughout the night while Josh and I are asleep in the other room. That thought brings comfort to me throughout the night.

And then I end everyday with the same prayer - asking God to give us another day with our precious daughter. To love and protect her the way we were chosen to do so. To be a perfect family of 3...one day more, but for now 3 (4 including Kix - he is such a great sport around Callie!!!) Every thought brings tears to my eyes with the amount of love I have inside of me for my wonderful, supportive husband and our perfect daughter - I wouldn't change one thing about her...not one solid thing!