Taller

Two nights ago, My Little One - a mere nine years old - was helping empty a box of groceries I ordered from Amazon Prime Pantry (which, by the way, is GREAT!).

To my surprise, she was able to put a bag of chips on top of the refrigerator, and I totally stopped my cooking, mouth agape, then commended her for growing up!

Me:  OMGOSH! You're tall enough to put the chips on top of the fridge?!?!?!?!
Her: Yeah. *shrug*

Clearly this is a bigger deal to me than her.  For a split second I wondered if she's been doing this for a while now and I just haven't seen it before. Then I went through a splitsplit second of feeling guilty, like I was too busy to notice her first step or something. But I've been doing a lot of soul work on not beating myself up so for a splitsplitSPLIT second, I kicked those negative thoughts to the curb and checked back OUT of *myself* and back IN to *her*.

Me: I had NO IDEA you were that tall!!
Her: *reaches with her finger tips to the top edge of the fridge -- on her tennis-shoed tippy toes, smiling PROUDLY*
Me: *smiles PROUDLY back*

Fast forward to this morning.....

She is fresh out of bed, wanders into the kitchen, hair in her face, slouching from notreadytobeawakeyetness.  I clear her mophair off her pretty face, revealing those gorgeous kissylips that's greeting me with a sleepy smile. I give her a soft kiss and tell her good morning.

Her:  I can't believe how tall I've grown! I have to bend down to touch the dogs tail now! It's like I have monkey arms.
Me: *laughs OUT LOUD* No, honey. Monkey arms are LONGER than normal. If you had monkey arms, they'd be closer to the ground.
Her:  Oh. Yeah. I meant T-Rex arms *she tucks her elbows into her ribcage, hands out front, waving them, talking in a babyvoice* Look at meeeee. I'm a T-Rex with baby arrrrrms.
Me: *giggling at her silliness*

Later, as I was on the train to work, I was reflecting on her perspective. We have a tendency to acknowledge the UPS of growing taller, but not acknowledge the DOWNS of growing taller. How many people would've thought, "I have to bend over to pet my dog now"?

I would've....at 44....when some kid brought it to my attention. But at her little nine year old mind, she was already cognizant of it.

Brains are awesome.
Thoughts are too.
And so is my kiddo.

~Whoosh!