About a Billion Years Old

Lately, I feel like Georgia has aged like a million years in two seconds. I keep telling Scott that she might as well be about a billion. She is so big! Words keep popping out of her mouth and she keeps modeling after me and the whole thing can really freak me out sometimes. I'm gonna go ahead and assume that every mom has these moments. Those moments where you look at your tiny baby sitting across from you at Costco eating a hot dog, and you think: "How can she just be sitting there like a miniature teenager with pigtails eating a hot dog?! I JUST got home from the hospital with this newborn!"

Because I find lists satisfying, here are 5 reasons I'm convinced Georgia is going to turn 20 years old (rather than 20 months old) any minute: 

1. The other day I was having a mini panic attack in the hallway. I have these sometimes. If Scott is home, I can usually go into my room and calm down. Give myself a "time out" if you will. This time, I was in the hallway and I had my hands over my face and I was trying not to cry and I was also trying not to scream at the top of my lungs. You can imagine the creative noises I was making. Suddenly, I hear Georgia. She's in the kitchen, watching me. She has her tiny hands over her face and she is pretty much making the same sounds. 

Well, crap. 

I then decide that if I'm going to teach my daughter how to FREAK OUT, I should probably teach her how to calm down. 

"Oh no, Georgia! We are having a rough time! Let's take deep breaths!"

And she did them with me.Then she calmed down and then she hugged my legs. And then I melted completely. 

2. She makes choices. CHOICES! Wasn't it like 2 seconds ago that she was a baby who completely relied on her instincts and the care giving of her parents? Since when can I ask her: "Water, or juice?" and have her respond "wa-wa" or "jss"? Since when can she decide if she wants to take a nap now, or after 5 more minutes? Yes, she still has trouble choosing things. If I don't catch her on the way out the door she will have on about 3 different hats and carrying 4 different baby dolls. But I can help her CHOOSE which ones to leave and she will be HAPPY with the ones she CHOOSES to take and that is CRAZY to me. 

3. Sometimes, Georgia will just walk up to me, hold my face in both of her hands, lovingly say "Mommy" and kiss me. 

4. Today we went to Costco and I decided to grab some lunch. The line was long but I was determined. Georgia was being incredibly patient, but just when we were about to order she declared "all done" both vocally, and in sign language. That's how you know she means business. I got her out of the cart and she followed me around while I filled up a soda and got napkins. When we were leaving, I handed her the receipt, as I know she likes to hand it to the employee marking them at the door. The line to leave the store was also incredibly long. Georgia was out of the cart, and when we came to a stop, seemed a little irritated. I told her we had to wait. By then, however, she had spotted the woman at the door with the marker. She turned to me, pointing at the woman and said: "MAMA!" I told her again to wait. Then, she MARCHED ahead of the 5 other shopping carts in line and with determination (and a little bit of swagger), she anxiously handed the woman her receipt. Everyone thought this was hilarious (thank goodness) and the woman marked the receipt with a smiley face. Georgia triumphantly marched back to me and I continued to stand in line until it was our turn to exit. I might be reading too much into it, but it seemed like her face was saying: "See, mom? THAT'S how you get it done." On our way out the employee mentioned that I have a "go-getter" on my hands. That I do.

5. Being about half way through my pregnancy, I am very tired. Re: I am always tired. One day, Georgia was playing pretty good by herself and I was on the couch, my eyes opening and closing. She noticed my dosing and said: "Mommy nigh-night?" I told her yes, mommy needed to go nigh-night. At that point, she went into her room, came back out with one of her blankets and put it on me. Then, she lovingly stroked my cheek and said: "Nigh-night" and kissed me. For the next TWENTY MINUTES she brought books out of her room, sat on our rocking chair and quietly "read"  to herself ("Oh! Baby num-nummy! ... Neigh! ... Puppy!") while I pretended to be sleeping. After twenty minutes, she came close to my face and yelled, as loud as she could, "MOMMY!"
I was up.