nine months of Allie

Miss Allison Susan is nine months old today. It feels like she’s always been around; at the same time, it feels like I’m just beginning to get to know her. Such a conundrum with babies: the immediacy with which they take over your life, making it impossible to imagine a time without them; at the same time, the daily new discoveries that make them brand-new, over and over.

Allie is too busy to mull over such things, however; she’s busy babbling and pushing over blocks and reading books and scooting along as fast as her little arms will take her.

I have loved watching all my nephews and nieces grow, but there is nothing to compare to the experience of seeing my own sister become a mom, of seeing her be that perfect-just-right person for my niece. I know that Allison will grow up learning the same stories that exist in my childhood memory bank; I am sure that our daughters will one day likely be rolling their eyes at the very same stories and one-liners, spoken by mothers who got them from their mother.

In much the same way, I’m looking forward to Allie and Maddie sharing much of their childhood – playing games and Barbies and fighting and whispering secrets. It’s been one of my hopes ever since my sister told me that she was having a girl – that in some way, some of Madeline’s memories of her childhood would be like my own, surrounded by family and laughter and noise and a best friend who was family, too. Maybe someday these two will have daughters, and they’ll tell them the same stories and use the same one-liners and more eyes will be rolled because really, Mom. Really?

But as usual I’m getting ahead of myself – today, Allison is nine months old. She is beautiful and smart and busy, and I am so excited and grateful to watch her grow… but Allie, you can slow down. Just a little! Your auntie Beth likes your snuggly hugs.

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