One of the good ones.

Of course there's some good in every day. Some days I have to think long and hard about what that is, but today it was glaringly obvious. I haven't heard Teagan laugh this hard or this much in a long time. You can credit the lame afternoon nap for her loopiness, but I like to think that we were just in sync and having a good day. Please don't correct me.

Like anything else good in life, it started with a veggie straw. She offered me one (love that she shares) and I grabbed it with my teeth and blew air through it into her face. Not a big deal, right? She belly laughed. So I rode it out. Ten minutes later, and she was still laughing. I did not see this coming, nor did I want to squander the rare opportunity to hear her losing it, even if it meant becoming winded and passing out. As various straws disintegrated, she'd hand me new ones and she even tried to return the favour to me towards the end. I attempted to catch the tail end of it on film, but of course it didn't go well. So it's just a memory I'll have to do my best to remember sans video. Hence me doing my best to record it here.

After her snack, we headed upstairs (if she's downstairs she'll inevitably ask to watch Dora and I'm doing my best to limit it) in hopes of playing together a little more. 

I turned the standing fan on and we took turns singing into it and listening to our voices being distorted. She ate it up and so did I. Then, as is wont to happen, she found some junk on the floor. A twisty tie. What it was doing in the loft, I'll never know, but I owe the next half hour of entertainment to that happy coincidence (that sounded nicer than "piece of garbage"). She came at me with the tie and tried to put it in my mouth...apparently we're still in the oral phase? I made a funny face and shook my head to avoid it and she nearly fell over laughing. My faces got funnier and my avoidance got more dramatic and so did her reaction. I couldn't get enough of it! At one point I thought we were done and I was ready to move on. She ran to the other side of the room, sat on her little ride-on car, flashed me a cheeky smile, held up the twisty tie and raised her little eyebrows at me as if to say "Still got it, Mum." It was absolutely priceless.

I know it might seem like a silly little interaction, but it isn't often than she's content to play with me instead of watching Dora or playing with toys. My heart was so full when she looked at me and we locked eyes for a few seconds. Magic. Add this to the voluntary hugs and kisses I'd been getting all day and I was in heaven. Nothing sweeter than an unsolicited show of affection from your toddler. A few of those moments that remind you just how wonderful it is to be a mother.
We had a major meltdown close to bedtime, but in spite of the tears streaming down her face and sniffling as soon as I said "Let's pray" she folded her arms and closed her little eyes, forcing more tears to roll down her chubby cheeks. I was ready to cut the routine short in light of her being so tired, but she insisted on the usual "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam" while we look at a picture of Jesus. Bless her.

I needed to get this on the record because who knows what tomorrow will bring.