Hairy Pits

As Mother's Day approaches, I can't help but think how lucky I am to have such a sweet daughter who fills me with such joy and happiness, while at the same time, contributes to my stress and humility.

I'll start with the sweet moments....

Rylee loves to give me random kisses, which are always so cute. The other day she runs in and kisses me on the leg, then runs out again.

"Rylee, what was that for?"
"Because I love you."

I thought that was sweet, but then I noticed that a 1-800-FLOWERS commercial was on saying, "Show your mom that you love her." I totally melted, as you can imagine.

On the weekends I let her sleep with me, and she often says, "Snuggle with me, Mama." She gets as close to me as she can without penetrating my skin. I'll start to sweat and cramp up, but I don't move her away...not until she is fast asleep.

She has the best personality and we laugh all the time, but I do know that I will have to work on some ladylike behavior before too long. She loves to toot on me, go to the bathroom in the yard, and lately, wants to stand up to urinate in the toilet. She's only four, I still have time...right?

As sweet as she is, she also often causes me a bit of stress. She knows when I say, "Mama is getting very upset" that she has crossed the line. Her biggest issue now is not answering me when I ask her something.

"Rylee, do you want a snack?"
Silence.
"RyRy, are you hungry?"
More silence.
"RYLEE, ANSWER ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Smiling, "What, Mama? I didn't hear you."

It's that smile, that little twinkle in her eye that says, "I got her" that just stresses me out. How can this cute little angel who likes to snuggle be so evil?

Then, there are the humbling moments, the moments that seem so sweet but turn so quickly. Rylee and I were playing together, having fun, and she says, "Oh, Mama, your lips smell like garbage." Or when I'm leaving for work and tell her how cute she looks and she says, "Well, you look like a boy." Or perhaps, just last night, when I was reaching over her to buckle her into the carseat, and she reaches up my arm sleeve to say,

"Mama, what is this?"
"It's my armpit."
"It's hairy!!!"

And that,people, is my sweet, stressful, and humbling offspring....