* What Fun! *

I had no idea that birthdays were going to be so much fun once I had a child. While my daughter had fun this past weekend, I'm the one that had an absolute blast.

What is cuter than hearing a little voice say, "Oh wow. . . . !" or "I ike it! I ike it!" or seeing chubby hands clap and a little body jumping, because someone is just too excited for words?

What's even better? With each present, "Ank you Mama! Ank you Gamma!" (we were the ones handing them to her. She remembered to say "thank you" with each present she received! Talk about this Mama's heart melting into a puddle.

I never dreamed that birthdays would become these precious jewels in my memory. Jewels of mental video shots that I would replay over and over again as the days passed.

I also hadn't ever thought I'd enjoy the toddler years so much. Most of my life, even in my teenage babysitting years, I loved babies. Then the babies hit toddler stage and I wasn't too sure how to relate to them or what to do with them. My attention waned until they hit school age, and then I was back into spending time with the kids.

In my ignorance I had even told people during my pregnancy and her infancy, "I don't want the baby years to end, I have no clue what to do with toddlers. I wish I could skip the toddler stage and move right to the school age stage."

Funny isn't it, that now my days are full of not one, not two, but three toddlers? lol. And though they give me a run for my money, I am having the time of my life with them. I love the hugs and slobbery kisses. The passionate dancing to the radio cracks me up and watching them role play has me in hysterics some days.

It's the learning, that I think is one of my favorite things of all. Watching them repeat words as they ask what things are, observing them conquer some motor skills, and look at books intently as if their lives depended on it. All of it. . . I just find myself stopping and watching and soaking it in.

The world is such a wonder for these little people that make my house explode at the seams each day and their wonder, becomes my wonder. I have never danced so much in my life, as I have the past few months. Neither have I spoken in silly, crazy voices with puppets or been able to tolerate messes like finger painting, for the sake of experience. Despite my lack of physical affection demonstration, I find myself hugging, kissing, snuggling, rubbing heads, rubbing backs, and randomly picking kids up all day long, just to hold them tight.

It is such a fun time of parenting for me. It's more than I dreamed it would be. And I can only imagine that it gets better with time.