You'll always be my little girl!

Leighton is a pleaser by nature. She is like a sponge and soaks up everything she hears…yes, even the things we don’t want her to hear! She wants to excel at everything she does. She is a perfectionist. Poor girl, she got that from me…along with worrying. I honestly feel bad for her because at the age of 4 she worries about things she doesn’t need to, things that don’t concern her, but she wants everything “perfect.” I fall into that pit of wanting everything perfect. At work, I have children who may have only one more sound to master, it doesn’t affect their intelligibility, social life, or academic skills, but I can’t bring myself to dismiss them from therapy because their speech isn’t “perfect.” At home, if something is out of order I need it fixed immediately. It puts me in a bad mood to even think something doesn’t work correctly, isn’t hung perfectly, or might not be what a buyer would want in a house (and our house isn’t even on the market!!!).

My perfectionism is something Leighton inherited (or learned) as well as her ability to “mother.” She is the sweetest big sister to Ainsely. To a fault. She has been taught not to hurt her sister, to be gentle with her, and she follows those rules. Ainsley is not a rule follower like her big sister (let’s hope that’s a learned trait). Ainsley hits, she bites, she pulls hair, she head butts, and Leighton never retaliates. Ever. That is what she was taught. Leighton loves on Ainsley when she gets hurt. She defends her when she’s in trouble. Daily, Leighton teaches Ainsley. Leighton gets picture cards and has Ainsley say the names of the pictures, she counts with Ainsley, she says the ABC’s with Ainsley…and it just comes naturally to Leighton. I love to watch her interact with Ainsley. It is exactly what I try to do with my children on a daily basis but have you noticed we aren’t as natural at it now? At least I’m not.

I call Leighton my little speech pathologist because that’s what she reminds me of. Maybe she’ll be one someday. Maybe she’ll be a teacher. I know she wants to be a mommy…and she’ll get no greater joy. But, for now, she is content being a little girl (and I am too). As we drove home yesterday, I complimented her on how well she interacts with Ainsley. There was silence (which I thought nothing of) and then a little voice piped up and said, “Mommy, maybe someday I’ll teach kids how to talk.” In response I said, “That would make me so happy.” There was another silence and that little voice spoke up again, this time with a quiver, “But Mommy, I want to be a little girl forever!”

With tears in my eyes, “Baby, no matter how old you get, you’ll always be my little girl.” Oh how those words comfort me and thank you Lord they were just what she needed too!

Leighton almost one year with her daddy.

Leighton 4 years old with her daddy.

Leighton always willing to help Ainsley...I love Leighton's face...woah!!!

She is beautiful inside and out!

A short little video (I have about 20 of these). I chose this one because it shows just how loving and helpful Leighton is and a tiny bit of Ainsley's temperament! :)