"I want to be you when I grow up, Mommy."
Ten words that may be the most moving, that every Mama dreams her little girl will say to her one day. But here's the honest truth: as much as it melted my heart and I will forever hold that sentence near and dear to my heart, it's hard to live up to. I have 4 tiny pairs of eyes who look up to me every single day.
Those little eyes watch me like a hawk. They see me handle things with such grace and composure and they also see me lose my temper when I no longer can find an ounce of patience.
Those little eyes have watched me in what they would consider some heroic moments of rescuing them when they have fallen off their bike or falling from running too fast down the sidewalk; yes, it's in the tiniest rescues that they've looked at me as a Super Hero. But they've also seen me weak and at times completely unraveled.
Those little eyes look at me at least once a day in total admiration that they are proud that they get to call me Mommy. And it's safe to say they probably look at me at least once a day with frustration because I can't (nor will I) meet all of their needs and requests as they see fit.
Those little eyes have seen Mommy fail, complain, and come close to giving up when things got tough. But they likewise they have seen Mommy push past her own limits and achieve success and by God, I pray that they will be able to say they've never met anyone with as big of dreams and faith as her.
Those little eyes are on me even when I don't realize they're watching me, and since the day they placed my first baby upon my chest, I officially became a role model, a care taker...I officially became someone's "on call heroine" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
So when my little girl said, "I want to be you when I grow up, Mommy" I bent down to look her square in the eyes, kissed her nose, pulled her in tight, and as tears streamed down my face, the only thing I could think to reply with was, "Baby, Mommy wants you to be YOU when you grow up. Never change. Just... stay... you."
To follow Long you can find her at The Real Deal of Parenting