Who Wants to Grow Up

'I big girl'......'I baby!' Lately these two phrases come out of my 2 yr old's mouth equally. When she wants extra cuddles, does not want to feed herself, wants daddy to carry her, does not want to clean up or just feels that her baby brother is getting too much attention, she will hug our legs and say...'I baby!'

Alternately when she wants to get in and out of her chair by herself, watch a show, stay up later than her brother, pick out her clothes, read books or anything else that the baby cannot do she prides herself in saying, 'I big girl!'

It is ironic and even comical; the duality of wanting to be a baby and fiercely wanting to be independent at the same time, but of course can lead to frustration for her and us as we never know if she is a 'baby' or 'big girl' at the given moment.

So today I had a talk with her about how happy I am that she is a big girl now. How happy I am that she can read, color, walk, talk, sing, dance, go potty, get dressed, go to sunday school, feed herself, swing on the playground and many other fun things. I asked her if she loved her baby brother - she replied YES immediately. I told her that I loved her baby brother too even though he could not do all those things she could do. Then I told her I loved her even though she was not a baby any more. I assured her that even big girls and grown up girls (like mommy) still needed a hug and a cuddle every day.

There are times I can relate to my daughter's desire to be a baby. Wouldn't it be great to have someone else take care of everything for us, work for us, clean for us, rock us to sleep, feed us, dress us and love us all the time?? On the other hand, wouldn't it be tiresome not to have the ability to voice your opinion, make decisions, go where you want when you want, become mature and to be so limited?
It makes me so grateful that I am not a baby, but am still a child...with the best Father in the world. God does love me all the time and takes care of me, yet He allows me to have a voice, make decisions and mature... all the while guiding me in His plan! What a wonderful life!!