Picture Of The Week

Adoration.

Every parent wants their child to feel it, me included.

Like all parents, I want my girls to know more than anything that they are loved and cherished and I tell them often. I also want them to know that Mommy is proud of everything they do and to be certain that they're sure of it I load up on the praise. I mean I lay it on. When Charlie puts an outfit together on her own it's always FABULOUS! If Sierra sounds like she's singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star I listen and give her the same attention and applause I would give to the worlds greatest singer. Jokes with punchlines I don't understand are met with roaring laughter and drawings of dogs that look like trees are treated as if they were the finest artwork I'd ever seen.

The crazy thing is though, much more often than not, my praise is sincere. I'm so in love with my girls that I really believe that everything they do is wonderful. Now I'm not delusional. I mean I know that a drawing of a dog that looks like a tree is nothing to write home about, but creativity is... And Charlie's jokes aren't always funny but that little girl is really clever and sometimes she does have flashes of comedic genius... And Sierra singing Twinkle, Twinkle little Star is impressive considering she can't talk and she's only ever heard the song a few times. So I clap. I laugh. I oooh and ahhh. I tell them that they're wonderful and smart and kind and brave. I shower them with hugs and kisses.

So far its worked. I see confidence in my girls. They aren't afraid to make friends because they consider everyone their friend anyway. They aren't afraid to share ideas and speak their minds because they know they are smart and no matter what their opinions are valid. They are happy and they know that Mommy and Daddy adore them.

But I want more. I want Charlie and Sierra to know that they are so special everyone they meet can see it.

I was warned before I got here that strangers might come up to my children and rub their heads for luck. Although it typically happens to children with blonde hair (because blonde hair is so rare out here), it happens to kids with really curly hair too. At first I didn't feel good about that. I'm no fan of strangers coming up and touching my children. But when we got here and it started happening it wasn't weird or negative at all. In fact its been great. People love our girls. Everywhere we go people come up to them and tell them how beautiful and sweet they are. Teenage girls want to hold them. Old ladies want to hug them and hold their hands. Naturally, I am on guard when someone I don't know is close to my girls. But I realize that the people who do this make my girls feel the way I try to make them feel everyday. They make them feel special. They make them feel adored. They make them feel the way I believe all children should feel.

This is where my picture of the week comes in. A few weeks ago when we were at the Sea Wall some young girls walked by us and could not take their eyes off of Charlie and Sierra. They started talking and laughing with them. They asked if they could take a picture with them. We said yes, as we have before, and this time we were ready with our camera as well. Enjoy :).