Tiny Dancer

My little girl loves to dance. She can boogie with the best of them, and is particularly inspired by music with Latin or Caribbean undertones. She's very cultured. ;) But her favorite dance move by far is when she becomes a "balladina". She loves to spin in circles, arms extended, while giggling and saying, "Soooo bizzy!" No, not busy as in preoccupied... bizzy is dizzy in Ellaspeak.

Usually she is a stickler for detail... listening closely to a new word and repeating it until she gets it right. But there are a few words that have formed their own identity in her head, and she says them the way she wants to say them without regard to how others say them. One example is melonwater. She's heard me say watermelon a thousand times. She's heard EVERYONE say watermelon. But it's melonwater to her. :)

And the sentences! All of a sudden, my girl is making full sentences. She's been saying a few short ones for a while now, or at least phrases. "Go to bed," "have snack," etc. But now, she will turn to me and completely out of the blue make these absolutely perfect sentences... "Mama, I want to go to the store," "Mama, want to play with me?" "Mama, I don't like this." That last one isn't exactly joy to my ears, because it's usually regarding another food that she has vetoed from her diet, but still... the fact that it's a sentence blows me away! I mean, I know everyone says their kid is the most amazing, intelligent, advanced child on the planet- but really, I've known a lot of two year olds in my day and most of them just don't talk like this. And she's been two years old for all of 3 weeks at this point. I'm not kidding. She's a genius.

Her memory bowls me over, too. My phone rang the other day and I knew it was my Dad calling because of the ringtone. But my Dad doesn't call all the time, and even when he does, I don't normally announce, "That's your Papa calling, and you can tell by the ringtone!" She knew, though. She looked up from her doll and said, "That's Papa!" The detail this little mind picks up is unreal. She's also really good at remembering quotes. She can say a few lines from her favorite movies (my favorites: "Who invited THAT kid?" and "That ain't no happy child."- both from Toy Story) and she will sometimes read parts of her book to herself and actually get the words right. She remembers many song lyrics, too, and will sing along or spontaneously burst into song, which melts my heart. I'm a big fan of music and am often singing a song around the house or in the car, so when she displays a characteristic that is clearly part of her Mama in her, it makes me feel proud and special that I'm a part of such a little person's life in such a big way.

Well, I guess this has just turned into a big giant bragfest, but it's not because I am one of those crazy moms who acts haughty about her fantastic, advanced children. It's more like I'm completely floored that I've been entrusted with such a fabulous being and play such a large role in her development and life experience. I just want to do my very best for her. It frustrates me sometimes to know that many people's sentiment about children is one of mild (or entire lack of) interest, or even sometimes annoyance and displeasure. I don't think some people fully grasp the idea that this person comes into the world with a fairly blank slate and it is your job as a parent to basically teach them how to live and be and do, well, everything! When you truly grasp that, it becomes impossible to NOT be amazed at all they can do and say, because you know that you have a direct role and responsibility in that development and you must be doing something right! It's the biggest and most important job you could ever have, and we all know what happens when parents neglect that responsibility. I take it very seriously.

I want my children to be the fulfillment of every ability and dream and possibility that God has shaped in their hearts, and I want them to reach that point only because they feel loved, nurtured and encouraged, not because they are forced or because it's expected of them. It excites me to dream of how these little tendencies- these beautiful capabilities that my baby girl shows at such an early age- will translate into her adult years. I don't expect anything of her but that she is true to the things God has put in her heart, but I just know that she is destined for greatness. All of our children are. And greatness does not necessarily mean a fabulous career, financial security, things that the world would view as signs of success. Greatness to me comes from your character, your countenance- and my little character is sure to succeed in that regard. I have a feeling this tiny balladina will be dancing through life with grace and confidence, and it's a pleasure to have a front row ticket to all her major performances. :)