To My {First} Little Girl

Dear, sweet Lily,

My firstborn, my little girl.

A post in your honor is long overdue.

You are two.

TWO.

And I know how very cliché this sounds…but when did that happen?

We had a rough start, you and I. You didn’t make things easy on this new mama but I loved you through it all…even if I wondered whether or not you loved me sometimes!

Not anymore. These days there’s no mistaking the fact that you are mama’s girl through and through.

You’ve moved from being a fussy newborn to a sweet toddler who is {almost} always ready to cuddle.

There are days when I wish I could just bottle you up and keep you two forever.

I don’t want you to lose the rest of the baby fat on those sweet cheeks.

I want you to keep loving Winnie the Pooh and Elmo instead of the Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana.

I want you to keep playing princess and having tea parties.

I want your Daddy to always be the only man in your life.

I want you to keep believing that I am everything you think I am.

I want you to keep your innocence. There is so much hurt and evil in this world and every part of me longs to shield you from even knowing about that.

I want you to just stay two and never get big.

And yet…

I want you to mature.

I want you to move from a little girl to a wise young woman.

I want you to experience the beauty of the world God created for you.

I want you to know Christ.

These next few months are going to bring changes for you…some that you may not like. Your little world is going to get shaken up a little bit and I want you to know – I’m still your mommy. I love you more than you can even comprehend, and though you may be getting less of my time and attention, you will never get less of my love.

You are sweet. You are spunky. A little bit sugar and a little bit spice.

I see more of myself in you every day and it thrills me…and scares me.

With each passing day I lose a little bit of the control I have over your life…and I realize more and more that it’s just an illusion, really.

You’re not mine. You are God’s.

Don’t you ever forget that, no matter how big you get.

I love you sweetie, and though you I can’t make you stay two, I can enjoy it while it lasts.

So let’s  go put on our princess crowns and drink tea, shall we?