MILEPEBBLES

I'm constantly going through these little moments in my life with my daughter that have not exactly earned the title of "milestones" but can't be ignored in my heart. So I am calling them "milepebbles".

They are the moments that enter through your eyes, whisper into your heart, create a wonderful swell of love within your spirit and finally leave a lump in your throat. The moments trigger an identification to you that your child just grew a little more, and your moments with your child yesterday remain right there - yesterday. That moment, without an invitation to leave, left the party... and a new and different moment took it's place.

So far I have watched my little child grow from little ticks of movement, squeaks of noise, spit ups and no support to sit or stand into an outrageously amazing child of love, light and energy.

As I am writing this, I turned and looked at my daughter. What a sight. There she is, sitting on top of the floor vent watching a Noggin commercial and applying a yellow crayon onto her lips as if it were the daily dosage of Chapstick. Only parents could appreciate that.

She's only 17 months old, yet I look back at infinite moments I adore. Thousands of moments I want to savor forever. Here are some milepebbles that proudly hang in my hall of memories:

Looking at the sonogram screen and comprehending that the teeniest spot that was flashing quickly was my daughter...the size of a piece of rice, and the flashing was her miraculous heartbeat.

Seeing her in my arms for the 1st time, completely depending on my love and care. So fragile...so pure.

The 1st time my heart felt so much concern to make sure my child got everything she needed.

Seeing her smile as she slept....

The excitement I had when she began to eat solid foods.

Her 1st laugh...and every laugh after that. The simplest gestures that made her little body shake with laughter.

My heart dropping when she rolled over, sat up, walked along the couch and finally taking steps on her own.

Moving her from the co-sleeper to her crib.

The day she held my head in her little hands and kissed me.

Moving her from an infant car seat to a bigger car seat, and finally seeing her beautiful face in my rearview mirror.

The day she hugged me back.

Hearing her first words...followed by her impressive character.

Watching her say "HI-eeeee!" to every single person that she passed by and expecting a response.

My jaw dropping when she first started to dance, memorized "ring around the rosie", knew over 50% of the pictures from the alphabet flashcards and made 'deals' with me (if she has a pen in her hand, she'd much rather offer a kiss than give up the pen....smart girl, eh?).

My shock to see her do everything she can to make sure Daddy and Mommy are loved equally (she will kiss Daddy, then run over to kiss me before moving on).

Laughing to tears with my husband over how she says "No" to everything we say to her. 'Are you a good girl?' ..."No." 'Honey, hand me that toy' ..."No." 'Babygirl, give me a kissie!' ..."No."

And finally today, I went to a restaurant with a friend and her children and for the 1st time chose a booster seat instead of a high chair. I just couldn't believe she was sitting in a booster seat already! There she was sitting right next to me in our booth. My little baby... who I've only seen in an infant car seat or high chair, is now sitting next to me!

Later as we were leaving, I didn't carry her out as I always have. Didn't use a stroller either. I actually set her feet on the ground, took a deep breath and let her hold my hand. We walked out of the restaurant together. What a moment for me. What an independent moment for her!! We loved walking together so much that I had to walk with her once we reached home.

There I was, walking around my neighborhood with my baby girl. To my left was this little impressive and adorable child with her pink spring trenchcoat and her shoulder-length hair. She was walking as if she'd been walking for 20 years. She closed her eyes and let the cool breeze flow all around her. She looked up at me and said her new word from two weeks ago, "cold." I looked back at her and nodded with a huge smile on my face... and the largest lump in my throat. We continued walking. I sang twinkle twinkle little star and she "la-la"-ed along with me as we swung our arms and held hands. "Another milepebble" I said to myself. I stopped walking and got to my daughter's level. I looked in her chocolate brown eyes and whispered "I will remember this day forever" and hugged her. She responded ..."No."

Ahhh, that's my girl.

If I earned a dollar for every milepebble I have, I'd be a billionaire.