Thoughts

Today's post is mainly about Merry Grace. She is so cute and fun. I love her giggly laugh, her excitement over the mundane, her sassy responses, and her mothering ways. Today she "helped" me by organizing all the pillows on my bed into a little cave for her to snuggle down in. She layed there and rested and played with her purse while I worked on laundry. After a while she requested that I lay down with her. So Paige and I climbed onto the bed and snuggled in beside her. Merry Grace said, "You can lay on my arm if you want to. Or my shoulder." "Okay," I told her and snuggled in even closer. Apparently not close enough, though, since she responded with, "My shoulder is right here, Mommy", and pointed to her shoulder. I thought of how many times I have let her fall asleep lying on my arm or propped up on my shoulder. I guess she wanted to return the favor. :) Merry Grace is at the age where she wants to do everything I do. She is my little tag-a-long. If I am cutting up squash for dinner, she will pull her chair right over beside me and offer to help in whatever way she can. When I take a load of laundry downstairs, she toddles along right behind me and always puts the detergent and fabric softener in. If I am folding clothes, she brings her babies or her purse in my room with me and plays with them while I work. If I go outside to water the garden, she comes right along with me, holding the water hose for me. When I take a shower, she comes in and sits on the stool and talks to me while I shower. The other night I was using the bathroom, alone for once, when I heard Merry Grace calling for me. "Mommmmmmmyyyyyyy....", she called out. "I'm looking for my Mommy," she said to Cory. "Your Mommy?", he asked, "Your Mommy, who?" "My Mommy Barnett," she said. Sure enough, within a few minutes, she had found me in the bathroom and come in to visit. I suggested she go visit with her Daddy for a few minutes and then we could talk. "No," she replied, "I just want to be with you." I can't imagine anyone I want to hang out with in the bathroom, but I'm touched she loves me that much. That, my friends, is true love. I just love that little girl. I love it when she asks to eat "wackyroni" (macaroni) or when she offers to bring me the "waybee wipes" when I change Paige's diaper. I love the ways that, even being the third child, she's found to be unique. And now its almost bedtime and that means snuggle time. So I'm off to give her some attention. But I couldn't ask for a better, or cuter, shadow. :)