Lullaby

When Teenage Vanilla was around three, the bedtime routine evolved into a series of songs to put her to bed.  Because she kept adding songs, I came up with a lullaby that contained all the songs, but only the first few lines.  It also included a mantra to keep monsters, bad things, bad people and scary people away.  Little Vanilla was also put to bed with this lullaby, as the girls shared a room until Teenage Vanilla was 9, and Little Vanilla was 5.  That was when we moved into the house we now live in, which had a bedroom for each girl.  Eventually they each grew up enough to not want the lullaby, and while Little Vanilla still likes to be tucked in, and hugged and kissed, Teenage Vanilla goes to bed after Mr. Vanilla and I, so I give her a hug and kiss (which, if she is cranky with me, may not be welcome, but too bad, I am hugging and kissing anyway!).  I am a firm believer to always tell your loved ones you do love them, and that kisses and hugs are good to give at bedtime, no matter what age one is.

Little Vanilla has been fighting the allergy cough (which, knock on wood table, is about gone).  A few days ago she was having trouble sleeping, and asked me to sing the lullaby.  Half way through I realized Teenage Vanilla was in the room listening.  I can't remember the last time I sang it, but both of the girls seemed to enjoy hearing it again.  It doesn't matter how old we get, there will always be comfort in the rituals of childhood.  One of the songs in the lullaby, and the only one sang in its entirety, is the one Bobi used to sing to me.  It was nice to hold Little Vanilla and sing to her again, and to see Teenage Vanilla coming in to be a part of it.

One of my friends I have known for 23 years had a baby girl in December.  She is really a cutie!  Mr. Vanilla and I had planned on having more kids, but we are happy to have the two girls, and probably couldn't run extra children around to activities - 7 trips a week to the cheer gym is enough, and then add in Hebrew and Sunday school.  But it did get me thinking.  I loved the different stages of infant, toddler, and preschool, but the older the girls get the more fun they are.  They get really great to be around as they are finding their independence and getting ready to leave.  I actually prefer the older stages, and not just because they can get their own breakfast so I can sleep in on the weekend.  I like the in depth conversations we have, and with them being older we can do more things.  I enjoy seeing how they are evolving, and how they think and rationalize, and how they see the world as their understanding of it grows.  Do I miss holding them as babies, and being able to dress them in whatever outfit I like?  Of course!  But I don't think I would choose to go back, because going forward has been so much fun!  Plus, we are out of bedrooms - Bobi has the downstairs bedroom, and it is great for her to be able to spend the night whenever she wants..  And Mr. Vanilla got snipped about four years ago, which we both still think is a good route to have gone.

I love watching the girls get older, even knowing it brings them closer to flying off.  But my flying off was a really good experience (I went to college two hours away from home), and I want my girls to have their own great flying off experiences, whatever they may be.  I know I will still be a big part of their lives, I mean, look at Bobi in ours.  But for now I don't want the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years to go too fast.  I want to enjoy it all, enjoy the girls, and watch in wonder as it all unfolds.

Have a Very Vanilla Day!