Hellobee

You know how as a mother, you can remember so many little tiny details about giving birth, or the first few months of being a mother? You have little flashbacks and it seems like it just happened. This is where I am. My babies are no longer babies. And they tell me this daily.

LeLe just turned 4 in January. She is in her second year of preschool and she is a non-stop talker. I am continuously amazed at how smart she is. I hate even saying this because I don’t want to sound braggy, but holy moly, she surprises me with her amazing ability to pick up new concepts. I know this is kids in general, but because she is mine, it is especially amazing. She is huge too. She is the size of a 6-year-old, so tall and lanky. We are just beginning to learn how to read, and although this is a long process and sometimes very frustrating, when I see her make progress it is awesome. She loves princess things, glitter, baby dolls, and her bike. It’s hard keeping up with her because she is always moving from one thing to the next.

The best thing about LeLe is her imagination. This girl can create elaborate situations and play them out in their entirety. She has been naming everything in our house with some very interesting names (think Tinkle Christmas). It’s so great having another person in the house to talk with and interact with. She really is one of the coolest people I have met and I feel really lucky that she is mine.

Little Bug is almost 3. I seriously can’t believe it at all. Part of the disbelief is that I imagine that he is small, but in reality he is huge too. Both of my kids are going to be significantly taller than me. The other part is that he really is my little shadow. Bug is always by my side. He is still very much my little boy and I think we have a bond that is hard to describe. It seems like he needs me more than his sister, and for this place in time, I am grateful for this. With him likely being my last, I cherish this time that he still needs me.

He loves all toys, but especially loves play dough, pirate stuff, dolls, and his tool set. He is curiously strong, like in a way that surprises me. He is silly and engaging. He has an amazing ability to make everyone around him want to talk with him. I think it is his smile and his funny looks he gives people. He is also a very emotional and moody little person. On occasion this is exhausting because I do sometimes wish he were happier, but it is who he is and I appreciate it. He will be starting preschool in the fall and I am both terrified and thrilled.

The two of them together is my favorite thing. They seriously do love each other. LeLe takes such good care of Little Bug and he does the same for her. I find them cuddling together all the time, they play together everyday, and Little Bug is always concerned that LeLe is getting what she needs. I am frequently amazed at their relationship because although I have three siblings, I am not particularly close with any of them. Seeing LeLe and Little Bug love each other so much feels like a huge triumph to me. I hope that we can continue to help them build this relationship.

Right now life seems easier than it has been. LeLe can do so many things on her own and that is a relief to me. Little Bug wants to be just like big sister, so he is striving to do more and more things on his own. It’s just a time that is fun and interesting and I am really happy that we are in this place. The kids are growing so quickly and I love seeing how their personalities are coming out. I am really excited to see where they go from here.