one day they won’t be little girls

Every now and then she will sleep on the couch. She’s my only child that has ever been able to sleep soundly among the noise and light. She got a case of swimmer’s ear over the weekend and it has taken her down. She has only want to be held, carried, snuggled, and next to me when she sleeps. When she isn’t feeling well, she wants to be in my arms. When she is feeling well, she wants to be close by me. Very rarely will you find her in one room and me in the other – probably part of why I have so many everyday moment pictures of her. She is typically in all my everyday moments. She’s my talkative companion that longs to do whatever I am doing. If I wear braids, she wants braids. If I wear a necklace, she wears two. When she isn’t by my side, singing or talking, I feel a little lost.

Her little sister has followed suit…copying and mimicking all I do. Always near to my side.

Sometimes raising daughters feels a little scary to me. These incredible little girls that think I am amazing have my heart just like the boys do. Sure, they know I make mistakes. I ask for their forgiveness all the time. But at the end of the day (and the beginning and middle), right now I am the person they look up to in a special way. They adore their daddy, but I have a very different role in their lives. They mimic me. They follow me. They always want to help me..cook, clean, paint, work.

This season with my girls melts me. It also makes me constantly think about how to foster my relationship with them as they grow. As they spread their wings. As they become women. I have a wonderful relationship with my mom. And I am always so curious when I see other mother/daughter relationships that are strong. So today I was wondering if any of you would share the ways your mom helped foster a strong relationship with you as you got older. What are practical steps she took? What are things you appreciated as a teenager? As a young adult?

I want to tuck your stories, advice, insight away to remember as I raise my two wild and wonderful girls!