Hero

She says I'm her hero. Doesn't matter what I do or say, she thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. I hear it at least 10 times a day. "I wub you momma, you da bess momma ebba," She says this as she leans in and grabs my face for her sloppy, little girl kisses. I wrap her up in my arms and tell her I love her too, that's SHE is the best Moosey ever. Then, I give her a kiss on the nose or a pat on the behind and she's off running again. What have I done to deserve her hero worship? Ususally, nothing. Maybe I've given her a refill for her sippy cup, maybe a little snack in between meals, but not really enough to deserve the adoration that I see on her face when she looks at me.

"I'm momma's buddy," she says as she scoots away from her daddy when I come to sit beside them. "But you just said you would be daddy's little buddy," he argues as he feigns a sad face for her benefit. "NO, my momma! Moosey am Momma's buddy!" And then she kicks him. Hard. In the stomach. And I turn my face away and laugh quietly to myself because she has chosen me over him yet again. Nope, no "daddy's girl" title for my little Laneybug. She is all mine and I love it.

She wants to help me with everything. I can't load the dishwasher without her. I can't load the washer without her standing right beside me, handing me clothes. And when it's time to start the dryer? Why yes, that IS Delaney sitting on top of it yelling, "me do it! me do it!" while waiting to press the button.

She has her good days and her bad ones too, as all special needs children do. She's healthier now than she's ever been and I'm enjoying a reprieve from all the hospital stays and doctor visits. She's still in therapy, but is improving far better than I ever thought possible. There was a time when I thought she'd never talk. Now, she's never quiet, but I love it. I love her and I love everything about her....every unique feature, from her crooked little fingers to her lopsided little smile. I love the way she scoots her feet when she walks, the way she mispronounces almost everything she says, the way she scrunches up her face when she's concentrating on something. I love the way she loves....anything or anyone that crosses her path. She's so vibrant and full of energy. She loves everything...green beans and corn, hot dogs and ketchup, cookies and Reese cups, school and her best friend Mason. And ME. She loves me! She tells me I'm her hero. That I'm the "bess momma ebba." What she will probably never fully understand is that SHE is MY hero. She is what makes me the "bess momma ebba." And I'm proud of that.