life, as we know it: my little girl

usually when i go away without my daughter for a couple days (which isn't often), i come home and she demonstrates her revenge of my absence with a couple days of snottiness. so after being gone for nearly four days recently at a work convention just an hour down the road, i was very much anticipating the bratty side of her to come out upon my return. especially given the extraordinarily un-fun tantrum stage we seem to be in the middle of.

but can i just tell you... since coming home, this little rascal has been a total gem, and i have been in heaven. (i realize i am probably ultra-jinxing myself by typing this, but it's okay. i am willing to take the risk.) i have loved spending every second with her upon my arrival home. we have played and laughed and snuggled and just loved on each other like crazy and it has made my heart sing.

it's hard to explain what it is about her that makes me so happy, because it really is the simplest things that no one else would probably ever even notice. but truly, i have never loved anyone like i do my little girl. she is becoming so smart and receptive, it's amazing. if i tell her it's time to go upstairs and take a nap, she stands up, grabs her milk, and heads for the stairs. her facial expressions are priceless, and it is awesome to actually be able to talk to her and know that she gets what i'm saying.

her latest is saying "where'd it go?" with her palms facing up as she opens her eyes really wide and starts looking around for... whatever, anything. she says it after a bird in flight leaves her view, after she drops a piece of food on the floor, or if she sees a fly buzzing around the house (in which case she'll say it all afternoon). sometimes she'll even just say it because the dog is laying in the other room, and she just wants to know where she is. it's awesome. her first full, comprehensible phrase.

i have to say though, that my absolute favorite was as we were driving to the post office yesterday, i turned on the radio and she immediately started rocking out and dancing in her car seat to depeche mode and old school green day (it was throw back hour - don't judge me.) so i turned it up a bit and started rocking out too and the whole way to the post office and the whole way home, we both danced, moving our heads from side to side, throwing our fists around in the air, and sharing big smiles with each other in the rear view mirror. best trip to the post office ever.

it's been amazing to watch her grow up and take in the world, figure it out, and find her little place in it. at times the changes are so subtle, but at the same time it's going so fast that it all seems to happen overnight and i find myself bewildered that she is already a little girl and not a baby anymore. it's a total trip. and small as she is, and new to this world as she is (relatively), it's crazy to look back and realize how much i've learned and grown with her around.