I Have Adored You So, Sleeping Cutey
Everywhere I look, there are signs. The signs that's she's growing up are like confetti falling from the sky. Everywhere, falling to my feet in a colorful puddle of reminders.
She buttons her own fluffy, white coat.
The diapers are gone, replaced by a rainbow of tiny underwear.
A Dora obsession is a dark figment of my memory.
The jars of baby food in the pantry wait for a cat's tongue, rather than the toothless grin of a chubby infant.
She spends more time planning her fifth birthday party than she does talking about Bert and Ernie.
And now, an era has ended. Where once a list of Disney Princesses meant chatter about Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Cutey, now it has been replaced by a more grown-up choice of words.
Cinderella.
Snow White.
Sleeping Beauty.
So long, Sleeping Cutey. I will miss the smiles you brought to my face each time Alexis incorrectly uttered your name.
I'll just stand here, continuing to watch the confetti fall, knowing that "makery books" will eventually transform into "cook books." I just hope it doesn't happen too soon.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Reader Comments (20)
It's so sad to see their child mispronunciations get replaced. My 5 year old used to say "Star Whores" instead of "Star Wars" and he never understood why I snickered every time he said it. I hoped he'd never stop. But, now he says it correctly.
I love this post because this is happening to me with Jonathan too. Not the princess thing, of course, but. . . the mispronuciations that are coming clearer (I hope he can spell better than me!) and the diapers going away (fingers crossed) Dang, I love this photo of her too. She is growing up. I feel like I've watched her grow, at least in photos, and now..now I feel misty. Crap! You suck! :-)
I'm kinda sad to see A get bigger & more aware, to be honest. And that is all. (Not that I didn't love her knowing me & being ok w/ it at her party recently...)
NOOOOO! Why does it all have to be so bittersweet?!
I know, I know!!! One day "wallet paper" becomes toilet paper" and Herca-lerca-lerca-lese becomes Herculese, and TOYTOY! becomes Toy Story, and sniff! ONE day, hanitizer is going to become Hand Sanitizer and things are going to stop zippappearing around here! WAAAAAH! Make it stop!!! Please!!!!
*sigh*
We still call lightglobes 'clever's well after Boo learned the real name of them.
That picture doesn't even look like the little girl I see in your pictures. It's bittersweet.
Sam discovered books and princesses through an old, beat-up version of Cinderella. It was one of the little golden books I picked up at the library book sale. She called her "Cin-da-bahbah." I relish each new thing she discovers and look forward to each stage of her life but I do so miss my little girl too.
They don't tell you about this other "hard" part of being a parent.
So bittersweet. Every day, I look at Abby and relish every little thing she does, and am so proud of her, and so happy to see & hear every last thing that is uniquely her.
And every day, we think back to something she used to say "wrong" or do differently, and while it's wonderful to see them growing and learning and Just Being Amazing! . . . it's definitely bittersweet, too.
James has it right - they don't tell you about this part of parenting. *sigh*
WAH! So bittersweet, this growing up thing.
*sniff* Silly kids, growing up.
Oh, so sad and wonderful all at the same time. This must be why the word "bittersweet" was invented. :(
Yes. You said this perfectly - it's so fun to watch them grow, but so difficult to watch the bits of babyhood fall away.
Your daughter is so lovely! That last picture brought tears to my eyes. She looks like a little girl now.
Oh no! I think we lost our first Peanutism this morning, too, and I just wrote about it before reading this. So sad. I don't want the baby to go away... *sniffle*
They want to grow up fast and be like us, we want them to slow down and stay little forever. Except for that diaper thing. That can go away. Now.
I simply adored this post. They grow up much, much too fast. (Hugs)Indigo
*sigh* Last night, Maggie said CLIFFORD instead of CLIPPERD. Twice. It was very very sad.
BB pronounces L's now. I AM CRUSHED.
Morgan use to say "latypus" instead of "Platypus". "Refrigerator" was "frigafriga". One word she still says her way, and I love it is "together": she says it "todegher".
This kids have some serious nerve growing up.
I read this post and it's bitter sweet. I can relate with the growing up - and I'm not so sure I like it. Sometimes, I just want my little girl back.
It must be a full moon for toddler-isms because I had a bittersweet moment this weekend too - although mine wasn't losing vocab from Bee's toddlereese. Nah, she still rooted for the "Sanks" to beat the Colts last night. (Sorry 'bout that Mr. Husband.) Mine was when I was cleaning out the pantry and I found a ziploc full of pacifiers that I had stashed in there when I made Bee quit them cold turkey - TWO YEARS ago. (Apparently, I hid them well.) I was too chicken to throw them away, but then never needed them. As I looked at the baggy, I thought - oh my god, was that really two years ago?? I'm so used to thinking of Bee as my baby, as being so much younger than her sister, but looking at the pacifiers made me realize how much (and how quickly) she has grown up. Bittersweet, indeed. <sniff>
I love this post. It is really those little things that get you sometimes.