Cuddle Puddles and Big Steps.

We're huge fans of the Cuddle Puddle in our house. Recently, it's been the corner of the big sectional where the pillows all converge and a lime green blanket keeps toes warm and make impromptu forts easier to create. The morning Rohan's foot was getting infected followed a fairly sleepless night, so when daylight hit and we identified the sleep stealer as none other than an infected toe, I gave him a dose of Tylenol to take away some of the pain. He came and cuddled beside me on the couch, crouching on his knees and leaning into my shoulder, and eventually his little head started to bow and sleep took over his body. We were getting ready to head out for the morning, so I shifted my body and away and settled him into the couch under the green blanket.

As I packed the diaper bag, I noticed Luca making her way over to stand by the couch, and then I watched as she gently crawled up next to him and pulled the blanket over them both. I asked what she was doing and she said, "Romie is sick so I'm cuddle puddlin' him." And together they snuggled, her alternately holding his hand and eating her gummy vitamins, and him soundly and peacefully sleeping.

I love seeing these two together. Pure Mom Bliss.

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Luca isn't always known for being courageous. She tends to sit back and observe situations rather than diving right in, and although she loves going on her belly head-first down slides at the park, the first 47 times she did it, Darrick or I had to be right there with her.

So, when we saw this slide at the Rennaissance Festival I was a bit shocked when she asked if she could try it. If you can't tell, the dragon's body is a tube slide which starts about 3 floors up and winds around the tower.

Imagine my surprise when she walked right up, handed the lady her money, and disappeared into the tower's staircase all by herself.

For a minute Darrick and I stood there, slack jawed with proud grins on our faces, silently in awe over her bravery.

In the next minute, we looked at each other, and just as Darrick said, "You know, maybe I should go up there and go with her?" I said, "You know, maybe you should go with her." We laughed and he reached in his pocket for more cash, but then we stopped ourselves. This was our girl's first lone adventure and she had to have a chance to do it alone. We were assured by the money-taker that there were adults throughout who would escort her out if she got too scared.

We waited at the bottom, and before we knew it, there she was!

It was a big moment for our little girl, taking on something big and new and kind of scary all on her own.