What I Love About Being a Girl Mom

I don’t know if it’s hormones or what, but I’ve been a little sentimental when it comes to the kids lately.  It happens with both of them, but there have been distinct moments lately when I look at Savannah and I feel my heart immediately start to melt.  In those moments, I try to slow down and take a mental snapshot because I don’t want to ever forget the amazing, beautiful, funny little girl that I see before me.  Sometimes I get up and grab the camera for a quick picture if I can!  My little girl is growing up before my very eyes and it is sometimes too much for my heart to even handle.

I absolutely LOVE being a girl mom.  When we lost Andrew, I couldn’t even imagine life with a little girl.  My heart was so set on him and it was hard to transition to the thought of having a little girl.  I always knew I wanted one, it’s just that I had anticipated Andrew’s arrival for so long that it was hard to get used to the idea of bringing home a baby girl first.

But, God knew that Savannah was exactly what I needed and what our family needed and I’m so thankful to be a girl mom.  Here are a few of my favorite things about being a girl mom to a toddler.

Hair
I could not wait for Savannah to grow some hair.  I look back at pictures of her at 12 months, when I thought she was finally getting some thick hair in, and the reality was that she had hardly any!  It’s funny how your perspective changes.

She definitely has hair now and I’m loving it.  There are many days when we are doing well to just get a brush through it, but it is fun to experiment with different things when we have the time.  At this point, she is in a braid phase and asks for them most of the time.  She’s pretty good about letting me put in bows, but she’s becoming more opinionated which can be a challenge at times.  I haven’t done much with curls, but we’ll get there at some point.

Overall though, it’s so much fun to play with her hair.  I enjoy doing her hair more than my own!  🙂

Girl Things
It’s been so fun to start doing girl things together.  Savannah enjoys watching me put on makeup in the mornings and often asks for me to put some on her as well.  Sometimes I’ll sprinkle on a little powder or blush for fun and let her put on some lip balm.  She thinks it’s the best thing in the world.  I always tell her that she doesn’t need it because she’s already beautiful, but it’s fun to have some girl moments when I’m getting ready in the morning.

I’ve been painting my nails more often lately and Savannah always makes comments about how pretty they are.  I’ve painted her nails a few times as well and she adores it.  I make her sit with her hands on a towel so they can dry and she looks so grown up!

She is also becoming quite the little shopper.  This summer, we’ve gone out shopping a couple of times just the two of us and she is so much fun!  She loves picking out clothes she likes and helps me pick out gifts for other people as well.  I’m looking forward to having a shopping buddy as she gets older.

Cute Clothes
When I was pregnant with Savannah, everyone always told me that girl clothes were so much more fun to buy than boy clothes.  I honestly think that both are fun {I die every time I see preppy boy clothes}, but girl clothes are definitely adorable in their own way.  I have to watch myself when I’m buying her clothes because it’s so easy to keep buying “one more outfit.”

Savannah is getting more opinionated about her clothes and we’ve had some battles over the fact that she can’t wear the same three dresses all summer long, but it’s still so much fun to buy clothes for her and try to put cut outfits together.

Having a Mini-Me
Everyone says that Savannah looks just like Kevin, but I’m seeing her display more and more of my characteristics.  This could certainly change as she grows and develops, but for now, I see so much of myself in her {or at least what I’ve told about how I was as a child}.

She is very tenderhearted, which has meant that we have to be careful with our tone when we discipline her.  I try hard to explain to her that I’m not angry with her, but that I still expect her to listen and obey.  Sometimes I think she confuses a firm tone with anger.  She also gets embarrassed when others correct her or when she is corrected in front of others.  I remember holding back tears at the dinner table when I was disciplined….so that is me to a “t.”

She also tends to be shy with strangers.  I know this can be common with a lot of children her age, but it’s still so interesting to watch.  In the car on the way to places, she will talk non-stop, but then the second we walk in somewhere new or with people who are less familiar, she gets quiet and answers with nods.  I was told I never spoke to strangers as a young child…to the point where people thought I was being rude.  🙁  I guess she gets it honest.

What I look forward to…
Lots of girl talk
I have always had a very open relationship with my mother.  I would come home from dates or nights out with friends during high school and would talk her ear off!  I hope that Savannah will do the same with me.  She talks my ear off now, and I hope that it will continue for years to come.

Transitioning from Mom to friend {hopefully}
I count my mom as one of my best friends.  I don’t really even recall when it happened, but I remember talking to her on the phone one day and realizing that our relationship had changed from a parent relationship to more of a friend relationship.  I know she’ll always be my mother, but it’s been fun to see how our relationship has transitioned.

Teaching her what it means to be a godly woman & watching it unfold
I really take this responsibility seriously but look forward to it at the same time.  I want to teach Savannah to be strong and confident in the woman God created her to be and know that ultimately her worth comes from Him.  I hope to be able to teach her what it means to be a godly wife and mother as well, should the Lord choose for her to fulfill those roles someday.  I love watching her motherly instincts kick in even at such a young age.

What scares me…
Messing it all up
I’m sure I’m not the only mother who feels this way, but there are days when I just cry out to the Lord because I fear I’m messing it all up.  There have been moments when I’ve had to stop and apologize to Savannah and ask for her forgiveness for being frustrated or not handling something properly.  Even though I know God doesn’t expect me to “have it all together” as a mom, I am so thankful for His grace in those moments when I totally mess up.  Savannah often acts as the hands of Jesus to me, so quick to forgive and tell me it’s okay.  But, I still fear that I’m going to get in the way of what God wants to teach her.

Her getting hurt
Even now, so early on, my heart hurts when Savannah’s heart hurts.  It’s instinctual for me to want to shelter and protect her from any harm or danger, whether it be physical or emotional.  I know she will learn and grow from some of those hurts, but I still hate the thought of her having to go through them.

I am so thankful that God chose me to be Brady and Savannah’s mom.  It’s an honor and privilege to parent them both and I pray everyday for wisdom as I learn as I go.  There’s nothing that could have prepared me for the responsibility, but also nothing that could have prepared me for the amount of love that would fill my heart.  Don’t be surprised if you see a post about what I love about being a boy mom at some point!