From the Mouth of Babes...

Just a quick post tonight. My Muse has once again encouraged me to chronicle another precious nugget from my youngest toddler empress, Mizan (aka Meezy Bear). A little background on this "kids say the darndest things" moment....I've been really big on words and learning long before our first daughter was born. When I was younger, it was always very important in our house to "use your words" and "only say what you mean", etc. I grew up really respecting that. At the same time, I was a pretty self-conscious young'in and I always had a hard time looking people in the eye when talking to them. My 7th grade gym teacher actually pulled me aside once to chide me for it (delicately of course). He told me that it's not respectful or engaging to stare at the wall when you're telling someone something important. I listened and worked on correcting that habit ever since. Motherhood has given me the chance to combine these 2 tenets of communication into another habit. When I really want the girls to pay attention...like when I'm telling them how to pronounce a word, or teaching them something, I put my hand under their chin and say "Look at me...", and when they do, then I talk to them.

Mizan (2 1/2) came into my home office today and walked over to me. I bent down to snuggle her as usual, but she pulled back. She put her 5 tiny fingers under my chin, looked me in the eye and said "Mommy, look a' me, look a' me! Aren't you happy to hab yur fambly heeere?"

***SIGH***
And that, my friends, is why we humans continue to be fruitful and multiply. Meezy - I am SO happy to have my fambly here that eye contact or not, I can barely express it in words.