"What da matter?"

It is no secret around these parts that I have my hands full. Liv is a full-time job. She is a busy, opinionated, and if I'm going to quote The Happiest Toddler on The Block, she is categorized under "spirited". Yes I have one of those.

I love her more than anything. Even when she tries my patience to no end, which she does often and multiple times a day.

I worry that I'm not doing the right things and that she'll grow up basically running my show. I waver on time-outs because she badly needs one, but ohmygawd she won't stay in time-out, and she's screaming her head off...yes she said she was sorry, but did she really get the point I was trying to make.

I don't want her to be a robot, my highest hopes for her are that she is well-rounded, empathetic, ambitious with whatever her dream may be, and just an all around nice person.

I worry about these things every day and then she does something that stops me in my tracks and makes me think that it's going to be alright.

The other day, actually the day we went horseback riding, I was quickly changing and getting ready in the small bathroom that is our Master Bathroom. I was throwing a little make-up on so we could get out the door to our pumpkin carving party and in walks Liv. This is normal...she usually walks in the bathroom with me and terrorizes me or Lily. This time was different though, she walked in, looked at me and said "what da matter mama?". I was completely dumbfounded because there was absolutely nothing wrong and I chuckled a little and responded "nothings the matter Liv". She then shut the door, so we could have a little privacy obviously ::side eye::, and repeated "tell me what da matter". This statement was more like her because the first was phrased as a question and the second round-about was a demand. I don't know made her think something was wrong, but I simply gave her a hug and said "nothing is the matter Liv, I'm just getting ready to go carve pumpkins".

She went on her way, but it might have been one of the sweetest things she's ever said to me. Not that I need to be comforted by my child, but the fact that she wanted to talk to me if I was and was concerned. It makes all my worries go away. She'll be a nice person and she'll care about others, I just need to set my worries aside and let Liv be Liv.