"B"-ing Amazing

Dear Mackenzie,

One of the things I would tell a new mom is that your kids won't want to eat something until you are about to eat it yourself. There have been so many times where I've given you or your siblings a dish of food and you don't want to touch it but then if I serve myself the exact same thing, you are climbing into my lap, opening your mouth as wide as you can and asking me for a bite (or several). That happened last week when you'd already eaten your dinner. Before dinner, you had rejected my offer of hard-boiled eggs. After dinner, I peeled an egg for me and as soon as I pulled off the very last piece of shell, you materialized in the kitchen out of nowhere, saw the egg and looked up at me with big, puppy-dog eyes. 

Me: Mackenzie, do you want the egg?

You: No, I was just looking at it.

Me: Do you want it? You can have it.

You (quietly): Do you want it?

Me: <sigh> No, I want you to have it.

You: Thank you!

You took the egg to your spot at the dining table and happily ate it. Then we repeated the above scene after I'd peeled a second egg, also originally intended for myself!

Motherhood often means getting to eat last (if at all) but you are worth it, baby girl! I love you so much and would give you so much more than just my hard-boiled eggs! And I am so lucky to have such a sweet, thoughtful, independent girl! A few days ago, I was unloading the washing machine and you were laying on your stomach on the floor behind me with your head cupped in your hands, just looking at me. I asked you why you were laying there and you said, "I want to help you carry the basket. I am waiting to help you. I like helping you." And later, when I was putting a clean bedsheet on my bed, you ran into my room, grabbed a corner of the sheet and exclaimed, "I can help you!"

You just turned 4 years old and you are already such a big girl. Last night after your shower, I went into the bathroom to hang up your towel and when I got back to your room, you had already gotten a pair of pajamas out of your pj drawer, which I hadn't realized that you are now tall enough to reach. When I said I was surprised that you could reach that second drawer, you said, "I can reach up to the second drawer, pull it open and take out my pajamas by myself. I can brush my hair by myself, I can brush my teeth by myself. I'm a big girl!" Oh my goodness, yes, you are! And today, you impressed me more when I was again unloading laundry (sigh, always laundry) and you just said, "A 'B' begins with a straight line and has two circles." Smart girl!

Love,

Mom