A Beautiful Will
Nice things Amelia's Started Doing Lately
The force of her will surprises me. She hasn't been instructed to placate and "be nice". She makes demands as a matter of course, without disclaimers, censorship or tact. I love the strength of her voice, even when I bump up against it like a brick wall. And she has a grip like death.
How do I parent such a soul? How do I preserve her spirit, cultivate her growth in a world that is like rocky soil in a thunderstorm? May God help me; there is much at stake.
- "tickling" my cheek with her fingertips
- asking me to "Watch, Mommy!" when she's doing something exciting like shaking a red balloon
- teaching her baby doll the hand motions to the Wheels on the Bus song
The force of her will surprises me. She hasn't been instructed to placate and "be nice". She makes demands as a matter of course, without disclaimers, censorship or tact. I love the strength of her voice, even when I bump up against it like a brick wall. And she has a grip like death.
How do I parent such a soul? How do I preserve her spirit, cultivate her growth in a world that is like rocky soil in a thunderstorm? May God help me; there is much at stake.