Almost 2

I can't believe that in less than two weeks, Marleigh will two years old. For some reason, my little girl turning two has been pretty hard on this mama. The first few months of her life seemed like they drug on forever, but the last year or so has flown! I'm not sure why it is, but I find myself almost tearing up. Of course, I want her to grow up and become an adult, but it just seems to be going too fast. She can't be that old, can she? But then she says something or does something that reminds what a big girl she actually is.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm struggling with Marleigh turning two because we had a "baby" for so long. When we brought her home from the hospital at 75 days old, she wasn't even five pounds, yet. Marleigh didn't sit up on her own until she was one. She didn't walk until she was eighteen months. Both things that most children do way earlier.

Maybe I'm having a hard time because she has advanced so much in the last six months. The difference in her is night and day. She runs everywhere, talking up a storm the entire time. She is so incredibly smart. I can remember the doctors telling us that she might always be a little slow from being premature. I prayed so hard that she would be okay. I didn't need her to be a genius, just didn't want her to be at a disadvantage. God has answered my prayers, ten fold. Sometimes I have to laugh at her wit. The other day, shortly after Christmas, Marleigh was trying to grab a Christmas decoration. I told her, "Marleigh, don't touch that." She looked right at me, turned and found my slippers, put them on her hands, then grabbed the decoration. She had the biggest grin on her face. She wasn't touching the decoration, the slippers were. I'm not sure that she fully understood what she was doing, but she is always doing things like that.

The reason I'm struggling could also be that she was so fragile for so long. I was so protective over my tiny little girl. The slightest bug for a preemie can have very serious consequences. As she grows up, I'm learning that I have to quit being so overprotective of her and let her be a kid. It sounds funny, but even at the age of 2, mama is trying to learn how to give Marleigh more and more independence. She has learned how to crawl up on all the furniture in the living room. A few months ago, I would have gone running to her, scared she was going to fall. I'm forcing myself to let her try new things on her own. She did fall off of the chair once, but laughed and said, "Silly, Marleigh!"

Or, maybe the reason that Marleigh turning two is hitting me so hard is that I'm pregnant and a mom. I've got some crazy hormones!

I'm sure all those reasons probably combine to why I'm having such a hard time with Marleigh turning two. But I suppose I better suck it up, I've got a party to plan! :)