No More Diapers!!!

Dear Mackenzie,

You reached a big milestone on February 1: You wore underwear to bed instead of an overnight diaper! Your overnight diapers have actually been dry when you wake up in the mornings for a couple of months now, so as you finished your last pack of overnight diapers, I didn't order more!

As you noticed less and less diapers in the bag, you got excited but also nervous. Excited because you could start wearing underwear to bed, be more comfortable and be a "big girl." Nervous because no overnight diaper meant that you could no longer come to my bed in the middle of the night and sleep with me. You have been sleeping with me every night since you were born, but I explained that if you had an accident with underwear on, it would be a huge mess--Daddy and I would get wet and would have to take showers, plus we have more pillows and bed linens, so it'd be a lot more laundry.

You understood that you couldn't sleep with us anymore but on your first night wearing underwear, you were very anxious about sleeping in your bed on your own all night and kept saying, "I'm scared! I'm not ready!" You cried but I reminded you about the many brave things you have already done (started a new school, ridden fast amusement park rides, gotten shots without a whimper). I told you that you couldn't get into bed with me if you woke up and got scared, but that you could definitely knock on my door and talk to me. And oh boy, you knocked on my door five times that first night. And you behaved and didn't climb into my bed or ask to. You even asked to use the bathroom one time. I walked you back to bed each time and tucked you back in and when morning finally came, you were dry!

It's been two weeks now and you've done so well with sleeping in your own bed and waking up and asking to use the bathroom when you need it. I'm so proud of you! And I'm so smitten with all of your cuteness! Here are some recent gems:

- "I spy with my little eye something beautiful that I love very much." (It was your turn while we were playing "I Spy" and you were talking about me!)

- When we were reading Corduroy, a Ken doll on your bookshelf fell over. You wanted to go pick it up and asked me, "Can you pause the book?"

- Whenever I ask you what you want for breakfast, you often chirp, "Mama hugs!"

- We were walking up the stairs when you just randomly said, "My mama is so beautiful and I love her so much." Awww!

- You say "I love you" to me all of the time and you constantly want to hug me and hold my hand. You often want to stay in whatever room I'm in and always insist on sitting next to me at restaurants. If there is an option of going somewhere with someone else or somewhere with me, you always choose me. Thank you, baby girl, for loving me so much!

Love,

Mom