Every year I sit down to write this post I wonder a) how we got here so fast and b) that I lived to tell the tale. I mean…how can the hour between lunch and nap (which is a 50/50 crapshoot at this point) feel like an eternity but the last 365 days have passed in the blink of an eye?!
Part of me feels like Sloan was just born yesterday – I can still feel that homebirth high, her heavy breath during those post-breastfeeding snuggles, how her little body molded so perfectly into mine. And yet it also seems like she’s always been here…like we’ve lived a hundred lifetimes together. Motherhood is full of a million anomalies like that, don’t you think?
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Lately whenever I meet a new or expecting mom, I find myself saying “trust me, it just gets better and better”, because with every week, month, and year that pass, Sloan is proving that sentiment to be true. Just when I think we’re settling into a certain stage or season, she switches things up, and usually in the best, sometimes most surprising ways. She’s becoming more independent, more imaginative, more insistent, and every once in a while I get a glimpse of her at fourteen and can’t help but smile.
Since day one I’ve felt like Lolo was too good for me…like I didn’t deserve to claim or so closely experience the beauty & energy & love & presence she brought into the world. Now I see her as my truest evidence of abundance – proof that miracles happen, prayers are answered, and God always has something better than we could ever imagine in store.
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I have a FOUR year old. She’s no longer a toddler, I’m no longer a “new mom”; things just feel…different. We’re growing together (her *literally* right before my eyes!) and it’s both humbling and heartening to witness. She’s a real person with thoughts and opinions and questions (oh Lord, the questions) and how I interact with her feels infinitely more important these days. Motherhood is proving to be the wildest ride, but my goodness I love doing it with Sloan by my side.
Lolo, currently
I recently heard that those who enjoy the ordinary will live an extraordinary life, and if that’s true (which I believe it has to be), then Sloan’s got a good one ahead of her. Whether it’s puddle jumping or playing tag, making trips to Home Depot for the seasonal decorations on display or hunting for mushrooms, she sees magic in life’s littlest moments. Her cheerfulness is contagious, even in the most common of circumstances, and I can’t help but beam with pride at her ability to bring curiosity, contentment, and excitement into every situation.
She LOVES to make people laugh and her preferred method to do so is a funny face, chicken joke, or sliiiiiiiightly inappropriate movie quote. Sloan will bend over backwards to include others. She wants to know everything about the people in her circle – their favorite color, how tall they are, what foods they like, when they go to bed – and will remember (and also expect you to recall) every unique detail.
Sloan amazes us when she identifies dinosaurs by their scientific name, “reads” a book right along with us (or promptly lets us know when we’ve missed a word), and sings an entire song she’s only heard twice. But she also says “got-for” instead of “forgot”, confuses yesterday and tomorrow, asks to be carried down the dark hallway, and begs me to snuggle for ten more minutes. And it’s in those latter moments (that feel rarer by the day) I’m reminded she’s still my little girl.
Nine times outta ten Sloan’s a smaller version of me, but her big blue eyes, head of thick, cowlick-y hair, and the way she sticks her tongue out when she thinks gives us glimpses that her daddy’s in there too. Then her obsession for the holidays, the bucket of plastic eggs & animals she carries everywhere, and how she dips grapes in mustard proves she’s also her own unique person and I can’t get enough of this amazing combo we’ve created.
A little BTS from our last year
This past year was one for the books in both wonderful and challenging ways. Between me going part time at work (plus even getting a few months off) and Bob’s firefighter schedule, we’ve had more time together than ever before. While most of our days were spent on a daily walk or working on our little homestead complete with garden and chickens, we also made plenty of time for camping, paddle boarding on our lake, visits to the library, and starting Sloan in jiu jitsu.
Sloan’s asthma landed us back to the ER this summer and we’ve been on a holistic healing journey ever since. The naturopath visits (or as Sloan calls her – “the doctor with the toys”), multiple bouts of blood work, daily supplements, and diet restrictions have proven Sloan to be the most resilient kid I know, and I’m excited to say it appears we’re finally making progress.
Sloan loves baking & crafting & reading with Mommy, tag & hiking & bath time with Daddy. We all enjoy early morning coffee and cartoons on the couch, sitting around the backyard fire, Sloan leading us in prayer at dinnertime, and trips to our favorite specialty grocery store for sweet and savory treats. It seemed like Sloan’s ability to appreciate and participate in everyday life expanded exponentially this year, and it’s been so fun to include her in more activities in more meaningful ways.
Her 5 favorites
Puddle jumping suit – If you also live in the PNW or just have a kid who likes being outside no matter the weather, this fleece-lined, waterproof suit is a must-have. It comes in multiple colors & prints, has reflective safety strips, is easy to put on and take off, and stands up to rain, snow, and mud. (Honestly…I wish they made these in my size!) It took Sloan a hot minute to warm up to this suit, but now the opportunity to wear it is what we use to bribe her to go outside and she looks so cute and cozy in it.
[These] animal figurines – It all started when Sloan brought home baby elephant during our first trip to the farm supply store. Since then, her collection has grown to include a few dozen pairs of mama and baby animals and we’re just about to the point where they’ll need their own shelf. They’re beautifully made, durable, and have provided us countless hours of imaginative play.
Mini Yoto player – Sloan got this for Christmas and it’s quickly become her most-used “toy”. It’s essentially a screen-free speaker box that plays different music or stories depending on the cards you place in it. On the days Sloan doesn’t want to nap, we set her up in her room for “quiet time” with her favorite Yoto cards and she’ll listen until the “time-to-wake” feature tells her she can get up. The protective jacket and card holder have proven perfect for travel and we’ll be packing it for a plane ride later this year. I question how we survived without this before and I don’t want to find out anytime soon.
Helper stool – We’ve had this wooden toddler tower since Sloan could stand on her own, but the older she gets the more we use it. First it was sharing a snack at the counter, then helping in the kitchen, now she’s able to move it to grab things off the counter by herself too. Independence and increased quality time together? Yes please! I love that it (easily) adjusts as Sloan grows and has remained safe & sturdy over the years.
Picasso Tiles – These have been a playtime staple in the Davis house for years, and because they get played with so much, we keep adding to our collection. Sloan recently got the marble run and I think I enjoy it just as much as she does! We make barns and fences for her animals, furniture for her Barbies, roads for cars, and I have a feeling these will continue to provide us with hours of fun for the foreseeable future.
Happy 4th Birthday, my sweet Sloany Girl
For the last month you’ve asked me to measure you every morning, but today as I reminded you not to stand on your tippy toes and marked a “4” next to the 3’ 4” line, I couldn’t help but tear up. Just when I think you’re my big girl, I look back at my camera roll and realize I’ve been saying that since you could hold your head up on your own, and will likely be repeating it with every milestone until the end of time.
The more questions you ask, opinions you form, and preferences you share, the more you feel like home. My goal this year is to get closer to my real self, the “me” before expectations & excuses & insecurities & fear, and everything you are shows me what’s possible.
You start most days by asking if it’s a “me and you day” from underneath the covers, and the smile on your face when I say “yes” melts my heart. But here’s the thing, my girl…as far as I’m concerned, every day is a “me and you day”, making [these] the best days ever.
Today we’re celebrating with homemade waffles, an extra episode of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”, and a surprise trip to pick out yet another animal figurine. It’s so easy to celebrate you, my little love, and my hope is that today and the hundred birthdays ahead of you are simply, wonderfully special, just like you.
– Amanda/Mama
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