Anyone who has met Beth will remember her. She is such an outgoing, engaging kiddo with a very infectious smile! I should have known something was different about her when her red hair stood straight up for the first several months of her life. It looked like a small orange halo - kind of like an orangutan baby. *giggle*Beth has charmed almost everyone she has met in her short life. People at church may not know me, or remember my name, but it seems like EVERYONE knows Beth. (This has been a bit tough for me, as I am basically a introverted person. There is a steep learning curve to parenting an extroverted child.) At just over 2 years old, we were on a homeschool field trip to Sea World, and Beth wandered away to join another family. It seems that I wasn't having enough fun, and the other family looked more inviting!
All of that leads up to the fairly drastic shift I've seen in her during the past week. Beth now has a proximity sensor - if I am 3 feet away from her, alarms, bells and whistles go off. I can not remember how many times today I've heard her yell "Mommy, where are you?" I don't think I've been able to get the morning paper, read e-mail, or even use the bathroom without her chubby little hands reaching out for me, or her voice calling to me. OK, ok. I know. It has only been a week since Daddy left, change is hard on a little girl, especially one so attached to her Daddy - as Beth is. However, it is really hard to cook dinner with a 3 year old on one leg, and an 18 month old hanging onto the other. Hmmm. Maybe the girls and I will just eat cereal for dinner from now on. :)
Alright, vent over - now for the good stuff. Beth's love of life and ability to make us laugh really helps us get over the bad times. She has the most interesting fashion sense...inside out bathing suit, swim cap OVER the face, green sweats, pink floral shirt, etc. There is almost always a remnant of her last meal hiding out somewhere on her shirt. One of her favorite things to do is to come up, touch my arm, shoulder, leg - whatever is closest - and then say "I touched you" with that full grin of hers.Beth loves her family and friends with her whole being. Her best day would include a home full of everyone in the world that she loves, all ready to snuggle and spoil her. I know this "three-year-old-phase" of independence sliding right into utter neediness then back again will soon be over. Until then, I'll ride it out, sighing, laughing and enjoying the way the Lord has created little Miss Elizabeth Hope. (Her name means given to the Lord with hope. Remind me Lord to give her to you.)
2 comments:
No, no Janell, you have it wrong - it's Elizabeth Hope Cubbie Stringer! My favorite is the list of Beth-isms you put down and wish that she did not have to grow out of her yip-yops or calling me Auntie HoMo which people may have questioned, but I LOVED cause it made us laugh everytime she said it. (She probably stopped cuz she was sick of us telling her to say my name over and over). Yes, you have a special girl and our world over here in cat land would not be the same without her. Now what is Hailey going to be like???
I fondly remember "I touched you" this summer. She would say it and just giggle like she had really gotten you. Wish I could reach out and "touch" her today. I so miss her and each of you!
Love, Auntie Mel
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