The other day I took this photo at the Magic House – another photo in a string of photos that document how tall you are growing. You are growing for sure.
Friday it was seventy degrees here and we got the bikes out of the basement. It felt like April and not January. We threw them in the car and drove a few blocks over to the park.
And you, my little one, were so absolutely thrilled to be on your bike, in the park, without a coat, free to ride and ride and ride.
And then your sister zipped past you, making giant loops through the trees and on the paths, turning into a tiny speck in the distance before circling back to us again.
You couldn’t keep up, and you didn’t like that feeling. You wanted to go faster than your legs could propel you on that little push toy. You wanted pedals and gears and speed.
Soon you abandoned your bike and used your legs. They are faster, and you are tougher – especially with a stick in your hand. You chased your sister on that bike until she broke away, and then you waited until she was on her way back before racing ahead to an imaginary finish line.
I know this is just the beginning. You have days and years and miles ahead of you to wish that you were older and taller and faster and bigger just like her. But you have no idea just how old and tall and fast and big you are.
You turned two and a half yesterday, and we celebrated your half birthday like we celebrate them all – just the four of us, with dinner and dessert of your choosing. You blew those two and a half candles out, ate a little cake and then quickly melted into the sleepy child you become just before seven o’clock. You curled into a ball in my arms in the rocking chair, thumb in mouth, listening to book after book, forcing your eyes to stay open as you watched the pages turning.
You are big and you are little and that’s perfect. You’ll get the speed and the pedals and the gears and the legs eventually. But don’t be in too big a hurry. Think of all the cake you have to enjoy between now and then.
We love you sweet, sweet girl.
too sweet!