Love - 31 for 21

Baby's first grins, first giggles, first dance moves, first words (or signs), first steps.  There are so many firsts that make your heart skip a beat.

Cora's first time telling me "I love you" took the cake.   

It didn't take quite the form that you might expect. Because my girl is a bit of a stinker with a tendency to take shortcuts when things are a little too much work. Yeah, she's clever like that.

During some shared cuddles and giggles, I leaned in to her and told her, "I love you," like I so often do. I held up my hand in a sign, like I always do.

I love you

I've seen Cora try to do this sign before. She holds up her pudgy little hand and looks at it, plays with her fingers, and then holds up her hand, wiggling just a bit. She's tried to imitate for sure, but hasn't quite gotten there yet.

But this time, she grabbed my hand, and turned it around, so that my "I love you" sign was facing me.

Then she grinned. A little stunned, I asked her, "Cora loves Mama?" to which she replied with her biggest "yes" smile; the one she uses when I've deciphered her communication code.

It was her answer to my declaration. Our own little mama-daughter conversation. And I melted into a little puddle of wonder and love.