Mama

Avery is on the move, literally. She is rapidly becoming the world's fastest cross-legged, twisty scooter. What's a fast cross-legged, twisty scoot? It's the method of movement Avery has selected since dabbling in the whole life after stuck on your back and involuntary tummy time. She quickly tired of pushing herself backwards military style and finding herself wedged under sofas, hutches, tables and chairs. She did get up on all fours and experiment with forward motion but found it not quite to her liking after a few face plants. Thus, the cross legged twisty scoot.

She sits, legs crossed, hands to her side or out front. She moves a leg as if to stand and then begins to twist. Her second leg begins to come up, but she never quite achieves a full rotation before dropping back down to a sitting postion. She repeats this combination move over and over again. It's pretty amazing how fast she moves across a room without ever looking like she is moving forward.

The other day Sean and I silently acknowledged two things:
Life as we know it is about to change as we graduate to parenting two moving, chewing, adventurous girls. But life is also going to change for Briar, because Avery is going to be all over her. Seriously. Avery catches sight of Briar and begins bouncing, patting the floor and squealing. And if Briar is within reach? Forget about it. She yanks her hair, grabs her extremities or just puts her mouth around whatever body part she can. Briar is Avery's favorite person, toy, distraction and reward. I think, I hope, that the same will quickly becom true for Briar.

But that's not why I started this.

Avery, my sweet May baby. My punk maned angel called me mama. She looked up at me giggling while I changed her diaper 3 nights ago and she said, "mama." I gasped and asked her what she had just said. She watched me with dancing eyes, her dark lashes casting shadows on her cheeks and her mouth open in a silent laugh, her four teeth bright white against the pink of her tongue,

"You know," her eyes said. "This is our secret. I love you and yes, I know youare mama. Now kiss my little neck!"

And with that we went back to coos and kisses and giggles. She's only said it once since then, but I hear it every time I look into her eyes.