Beauty. The inside kind.

Today Clara and I were at the park. She is very proud of herself lately as she has begun to ride her bike "all the way to the park, AND all the way home!". This is exciting because formerly I would not let her bring her bike to the park to ride bikes with the other kids, as I would end up carrying it (NOT FUN!) 90% of the trips both ways! :P This is not an option, especially considering by the time I give in and carry the darn bike, I have gotten quite mean trying to get her to ride it herself and she's in tears (trust me, not that hard to do with my super sensitive child!!) and refuses to walk, too. So I ended up carrying my 3 year old child in ADDITION to her radio flyer tricycle, if I want to get home within the century. Add in a bag full of water, snacks, wet wipes and sand toys and you've got yourself a nice disaster. I was not doing this again.

As time went on though, she was willing to ride it for more than 4 seconds at a time on the lot at home, I let her give it a try getting all the way there and back (leaving the bag of snacks at home the first time around :P) and she did it! :) She has been happily riding both ways ever since.

Now today was a particularily special day. We set off for the park. Not only did she ride the whole way there, but she spent the first 10-15 minutes or so at the park riding around and around the circle around the sidewalk that frames the playground equipment.

Each time she made a circle and was coming toward me, she pasted on what we call her "cheeky grin". As seen somewhat in the photo (taken a while ago actually but I didn't have my camera with me at the park today - GASP!) - except it's usually much... cheekier.

She's smiling at me. I'm smiling right back at her.

Then the most amazing, beautiful thing happened. Probably the highlight of my mothering career so far.

As she was passing by me, smiling her best cheeky grin, she veered over next to me. She says in the most sincere voice a 3 year old can muster,

"You're so beautiful, Mummy. You're so beautiful, to me."

For a moment, I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was the best compliment I have ever received. Why? Because I wasn't looking particularily beautiful that day. I wasn't looking like a total slob, but not at my best.

This was different. She didn't think I looked like a princess or something. Not how she tells me I'm a beautiful princess "just like her" when I put on a dress for church or something. No, she thought I was beautiful, as someone she loved, as her Mummy, as the person she smiles up to when she rides her bike around and around in a circle. Her innocence is what made it so very... real.

My daughter continually amazes me.

I think you're beautiful too, baby. I think you're beautiful too.