Delight FULL

 Grace could sit for hours and listen to stories about when I was little. Yet, there is nothing that tickles her more than to here little anecdotes from her "early" years. Yes, I know she's only seven. =) She loves to hear about the 1st time her Papi saw her - how he kissed her awake; how he kissed every tiny finger, every teeny toe. How he breathed her in deeply and drank in every breath.  She gets a real kick out of seeing the picture of her Nana reading her a story or how we decided Grace would even call her "Nana" instead of "Grandma". It's the little things that mean so much. Things like...

• eating up those tasty toes - well, now they are seven going on eight, but I still nibble on them after a bath
• tickling her silly - except, I'm supposed to stop when she says "stop" even though she's laughing her cutie head off
• she loves to hear that I love her to the moon & back; though she has to outdo me by saying she loves me to the moon & around the sun plus Pluto and back a million times.  You know how it goes from there; always one upping the other. 
• how we arrived at her full name - it's my favorite word for forever and for so many reasons
• singing her personalized lullabye - old favorites, tenderly tweaked with her name and other sweet nuances - even on the phone when she's visiting her aunties. I have tried to teach them all the song, but mama does it better.
• the other I Love You exchange:  I love you.  I love you more. I love you most. I love you most of all. 
• hugs & kisses out of the blue, even when we are blue and especially when we are mad or angry. 
• best and worst of our day. So thankful Auntie Nae turned us on to this precious bedtime routine. Speaking of thankful - we added one thing for which we are thankful each day. 
• bedtime prayers, when we are sick prayers, when we are lonely or sad prayers, and when we are very grateful prayers.
• how I met her dad
• the first time she went swimming
• all the places you went while you were still in mommy's tummy 
• looking at the stamps in your passport and hearing stories about our travels
• learning new words in German
• learning new words period
• reading new books
• reading books she loves a million times and then one more
• visits to the library
• playing at the beach, swimming together and building sand castles
• watching while she does a million flips, dances, and other tricks
• playing chase at the park, especially monsters on the jungle gym
• pushing her on the swing even though she can make herself go high
• underdogs on the swing
• hearing how much I appreciate her
• hearing what a lovely young lady she is becoming
• hearing that I'm very proud of her
• hearing that I know she's working really hard
• hearing that even if something is hard, we should keep trying
• helping me cook
• making up her own recipes and trying them out -love that jitter juice!
• writing your own books - the cake book. I love the cake book and so does Mrs. Chapman and the entire first grade who also make cake books fashioned after Gracie's
• hearing how great she will look in her new glasses
• wearing the apron I made when I was a kid and calling it her own now
• wearing my jewelry, knowing it will all belong to her someday
• making super cute clothes out of mama's clothes - runway diva indeed
• planning our trips
• packing toys for our trips - the AG dolls take along more outfits than any of us
•  when we play Scooby Doo Trouble or Dog Gone It; tic tac toe, checkers and that golf tee game at Cracker Barrel
• surprises - this little girl loves surprises and looks for them. I have to really plan them out because she's a snooper. We don't call her Nosy Rosy for nothing, you know?
• knowing that she makes me happy
• hearing me say that my life is better since she became mine - that I've not been lonely a single day since she's been born. 
• hearing that she makes me happy and even when I'm sad, I'll love her forever
• calling her Starshine and Sunshine
• how she makes me giggle with that "stinky leg" dance she learned from a kindergarten friend
• how I love when she makes up voices for the characters in the books we read
• listening to stories on tape/cd
• singing harmony together - letting her take the lead
• races up the lane and giving her a HUGE headstart - oh, how she loves the headstart!
• bike riding together
• walking together
• visiting puppies at the pet store 
• visiting Nana's grave even though we are sad for a little while
• thinking about our first fish, Sugar - ok, so that's not delightful but it's meaningful and we are sad from time to time together
• singing songs from Philadelphia Chicken
• snuggling 
• wrestling - spinny moves and fold you up like a piece of paper moves
• talking about where we used to live by the river and all the animals
• going to the movies
• washing her hair with a little extra head massage
• drying her off - mama just does it better
• warming her clothes before she puts them on after a bath and when she gets up in the morning
• kissing her awake in the morning
• making eggs like papa - with the "oke" puffed up
• putting makeup on her
• letting her put makeup on me - oi~
• fixing her hair just how she wants it - the first time
• letting her fix my hair
• exploring new parks, libraries, and other spots
• inviting her friends over or out with us
• planning her birthday party MONTHS in advance
• reading poems that make us both laugh
• Martina, the Beautiful Cockroach - our newest favorite
• Junie B. Jones
• dreaming of the places we will go
• Gelato in Italy and Eis in Germany - trying new flavors a couple times a day
• turning on the light when she is afraid
• picking out houses we think are beautiful
• playing Eye Spy and I'm Thinking of an Animal while we are waiting - anywhere
• hearing that she's my favorite
• little sweet notes in her backpack
• a balloon for no reason
• hugs and kisses, more hugs and kisses
• ponytails and cool clothes on her head when she is sick
• reading Flawed Dogs together - deciding which dog we would adopt
• talking about all the people that love us
• talking about what kind of Grandma I'll be to her children
• listening to her dreams - her wedding and having children. She has it all planned out.
• hearing I'll love her forever and a day
• hearing I'm sorry when I'm wrong, harsh, or hurt her feelings
• our new secret handshake
• Just Dance 3 together - we both have our favorites
• catching her kisses, blowing some back
• baking for her friends during sleepovers
• making her favorite foods
• hot cocoa with extra marshmellows
• kiddie cocktails with extra cherries
• our homemade salad dressing - on EVERYTHING! 
• eating watermelon
• chasing seagull at the beach
• chasing butterflies
• catching fireflies
• back scratches in just the right spot
• tight squeezes
• sharing the couch
• making a pallet on the floor
• hiding under the blankets, pretending the enemy is surrounding us
• telling me about her dreams first thing when she wakes up
• talking about what she wants to be when she grows up
• talking about what I wanted to be when I was a child
• sharing carnival rides and cotton candy
• going to church
• worshiping together 
• loving others together
• spending time with our family

Speaking of lists...the folks over at Creative With Kids put together a great list of ways to be kind to your child.  Here are just a few with a link to view the rest of their 100 Ways to be Kind to Your Child

Listen:
54. To your child in the car.

56. For that question that indicates your child really needs your input.
57. One second longer than you think you have patience for.
58. For the feelings behind your child’s words.

Ask:
59. Why do you think that happens?
60. What do you think would happen if______?
61. How shall we find out?
62. What are you thinking about?

Show:
65. Your child how to do something instead of banning them from it.
70. How to look up information when you don’t know the answer.
71. Affection to your spouse.
72. That taking care of yourself is important.

Take Time:
75. To allow your child to help you dump ingredients in the bowl.
76. To walk places together.

78. To do a task at your child’s pace.

Trust:
80. That your child is capable.
81. That you are the right parent for your child.
82. That you are enough.
83. That you can do what is right for your family.

Let Go:
90. Of the guilt.
91. Of how you thought it was going to be.
92. Of your need to be right.

Give:

94. A smile when your child walks into the room.
95. A kind touch back when your child touches you.
96. The chance to connect before you correct so that your child can actually hear your words.
97. Your child a chance to work out their frustrations before helping them.