The other day Camilla and I had a mini blowout. She isn't even a teenager yet and we're pushing each others' buttons. To make a long story short, she screamed all through family prayer out of frustration, resulting in a timeout on the chair in the office and her dolly being chucked out onto the back deck (bad mommy, bad). I left her in the hands of her more-patient Daddy and stomped up the stairs to feed Hyrum and put him to sleep.
As I sat in the big green chair in the dark room I felt like the most horrible person ever! Mr. Stannix took care of the girl and when she calmed, sent her upstairs. She quietly climbed into her bed and pulled up the covers. After Hyrum was tucked into his crib I went and sat at the bedside of my little girl. She sat up immediately and I asked for a hug. I apologized and she asked me to wipe her tears. A big smile formed on her face as she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck. I held her close and hugged her tight and there we sat.
After the longest hug ever, she pulled away and pointed to my ears. "Mommy has pretty ears, Camilla has pretty ears too," she said. Then she pointed to my eyes, "Mommy has pretty eyes, and Camilla has pretty blue eyes too". Then she ran her tiny fingers through my ponytail, and then twisted them through her own pigtails, "Mommy has a pretty pony, Camilla has pretty ponies too". Tears stung my eyes as I wrapped my arms completely around my sweet, forgiving little girl. I realized how much she compares herself to me, and how much she wants to be like me. I immediately knew that I had to be a better Mommy and example to my baby girl. I love you's were exchanged, kisses given and then I finished tucking in my baby girl.
Little children are amazing. I love what Jean A. Stevens says about little children being "the first to love and the first to forgive." There is so much we can learn from the little ones in our lives. While Camilla is trying to be just like me, I am trying to be just like her. Patient, ever loving, forgiving, full of optimism, and full of affection.
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