i woke up before her. 

a lot before her, i watched tv for awhile. 

& then i just watched her. just watched her be.

i captured her beauty.

 & she caught me. 

this picture is actually her first two seconds of being awake. 

im not sure if you can tell it, but she is smiling.

because she woke up & i was there. 

she does this every single morning, she's just happy we're here.

she's happy to be mine. 

 how could i possibly complain about anything, when i have this angel, that is just happy to "be". it shows me there's so much more to life. the little things in reality, are the big things, the huge things. her crooked smile, her frizzy hair, her passy ring pressed into her cheek, all reasons she's beautiful.
all reasons for me to strive to be a better mother. because she deserves the best.

because she is the best.

                                                                   

yesterday my husband took us to a little cafe' about 30 miles off base.

it had about 6 tables & a little old lady cooking.

complete hole-in-the-wall place. best hamburger i've ever ate.

when we were walking in casey says, i bet they don't have a highchair.

we walk in, look around, & see this antique highchair in the corner.

it made my heart smile so big to put lainey in it.

i thought of the baby it must've belonged to when it was new, so many decades ago.

all of the children that have enjoyed a meal in it since. probably so, so many.

not only did she get to be apart of just a wee-bit of history, but she also had her first grilled cheese. 

many more to come, i'm sure. 

messy education.

 everyday she just amazes me.

this morning she woke me up at about 7, so we've been up playing ever since.

she likes to plunder in things. i suppose its just all apart of being a baby.

being curious & eager to learn. I pray that she never loses a single ounce of curiosity. 

some say curiosity killed the cat. but we're not cats.

as long as she is curious & learning, i will be happy.

i look forward to the day she's old enough to do crafts. 

i already have some shoeboxes & papertowel rolls saved. 

im so glad that i get to be her teacher. i have the oppurtunity to start her out on the right foot.

to teach her learning is fun & empowering. 

we recently "child proofed" the kitchen cabinets, leaving the door the tupperware is in unlocked. 

she takes them out, stacks them up, puts them back in. & loves it. 

 one day I'll be able to teach her to tell time, to tie her shoes, to identify colors & letters of the alphabet.

for now I let her look at the pictures on the bookshelf & strow tupperware about.