Thursday, September 17, 2009

loving her is the easiest thing in the world

Dang, I love this girl something fierce.




We were driving in the car together yesterday, and her chatter floated up from the backseat - her words filling the air around me like a warm blanket. She's happy, this girl, and it's contagious to be around her. She is relatively unconcerned with the realities of life, floating through her girlhood on a cloud of innocence and laughter.

Just the way I want it.




She's social, yet loving. Spirited, yet tender. Sweet and spicy, all rolled into one. A contradiction that makes perfect sense wrapped up in her tiny 47-pound package.

Sometimes she leaves me breathless as I stare in wonder at the sage-like wisdom she articulates so well. Other times, I take a deep breath and count to ten, searching for that last ounce of patience while silently wondering why I have to explain myself to a seven-year-old child. But then I step back and realize that she wants and needs detailed information about everything in her life. She will not be dismissed, this one. She wants to understand reason, logic, and emotion.

I think maybe she wants to understand me. So that she can understand her own heart, too.



She brings a sparkle to our family that is all her own. She has the men in this family wrapped around her little pinkie finger, even though some of them don't know it. As a baby, she even knew how to charm the men. She'd leap out of my arms in the hallway at church, reaching for her favorites. She'd bury herself in their embrace and reward them with her crooked smile. They were like butter in her hands.

(Drove the wives of these men crazy who were trying to buy her baby love with goldfish crackers. Right, Cindy?)



She keeps me in line, and calls me on it when I don't do what I should. She is automatically my teammate and likes what I like because she wants to be like me (at least for now). I know she is watching every move I make, and that helps me walk a little taller and try a little harder. I want to be a better mom so she can be a better one herself someday.

I love you, Chica.

Just thought I'd tell you that today.

29 comments:

Joy & Casey said...

So sweet Christie!!! I am putting Shay on a plane so she can teach Hannah & all of her friends how to make homemade strawberry milk. In your kitchen. You will love it.

Chatter said...

You are a wonderful mom! And you have a beautiful, lovely daughter. I wish I had your way with words and your patience and love of life. Keep it up!

Ilene said...

Sugar and spice. Just the way it is supposed to be, right?

Annemarie said...

She is precious, and so lucky to have such a wonderful mom.

marta said...

such a gorgeous li'l thing. and growing up so fast. i just love this post, she has such a darling mom too. those freckles.. she has the cutest mix of you and josh.

Jenny said...

I love this post! The first picture reminds me of "I am woman, hear me roar!" She sounds just like my little girl - very sensitive, smart and wanting to learn/know more all. the. time. So much like me and yet so different. I'm going to have to remind myself of that in a couple of years. I hope you have the last picture framed - it's so beautiful.

brooke said...

What would we do without our girls? She is an absolute doll. I saw a saying yesterday that I have to buy for my daughter's room. It said "A little more spice than sugar." I love little girls with a little sass along with the sweet.

Kayla said...

what a sweet daughter you have!! she is beautiful! I love the last picture of you two together, you guys seem to have such a special bond! I hope to have that with my kiddos one day! :)

Emily said...

I always love reading our writing about your children. We are all glad little Hannah came along. Hope to see her soon!

Emily said...

I always love reading our writing about your children. We are all glad little Hannah came along. Hope to see her soon!

Hazen5 said...

That is awesome! She is going to love reading that when she is older.

Christina B. said...

This is such a sweet post. Hannah is a beautiful girl and so lucky to have such a great mom.

Amanda D said...

What a sweet post. I love it. She is such a cute girl. I'd love if one of my kids always wanted to be on my team. Seems to me that most of the time, Dad is the favored one here. And that's okay because he's pretty special. :)

melissa ( : said...

You are such a great mommy. For real.

Aubrey said...

She's such a cute girl. You're a nice mom. I worry sometimes--okay a lot--because I'm convinced my daughter will hate me when she grows up--I'm so impatient. And yell and swear at the kids so much.

Liz said...

Christie, she is beautiful, and Stella is following in her footsteps, fo sho.

I nominate you to be the first of my family to move to my town. C'mon, it'll be great.

Liz said...

Also, beautiful, amazing photographs. You are so good.

Cindy said...

I forgot about that. She loved Nathan even though I tried so hard for her to like me. I can't beleive how big she is and so cute. We miss you guys!!

Unknown said...

That first picture is my favorite!!! I would love to be 7 again. She'll conquer the world. Love the post and the pictures!

Tristan said...

She is so so gorgeous!! I love that last pic of the 2 of you!

This post was so sweet it brought tears to my eyes! I need to go give my girls big hugs now!!

diane said...

Print this out for her in 6 years. You will both need it.

You two are too cute.

Travelin'Oma said...

Now come on, when you look at her freckles, you've got to be glad you have them, too. She a doll!

Lauren in GA said...

That was so beautifully written. She will love reading it one day.

My kids keep me in line and I am grateful.

Love the pictures, especially the one of the two of you.

Anonymous said...

Oma and I have the most beautiful granddaughter! love you both

Cindy said...

She really is beautiful. Like her mom. Love the Hawaii photo, too!

Becky said...

Looking forward to that girl myself. :) She is sure growing up and looking prettier now instead of cute,...I love those pictures you took. Love them!

danandcindy said...

That Hannah is a keeper.

So, there's another shot of your feet, but I don't think it's stiesbrothersthoughts worthy. It is much less deliberate than your normal gross feet shots. I'm gonna let this one slide.

Jessica said...

I need to write these kinds of posts more often. Or at least say these kinds of things once in a while. (FHE didn't go so well tonight. Can you tell?)

And she is getting SO OLD!

calibosmom said...

So sweet! You're a good mama!!!