Dear Maisy,

Because you are so strong-willed and emotional to boot we have a lot of disciplinary moments within each day.  One night when we were enjoying our usual pillow talk together you said, “but mommy, you don’t love me when I’m sad.”  I said:

“Oh course I love you when you’re sad!

I love you when you’re happy

I love you when you’re mad

I love you when you’re grumpy

I love you when you’re crying

I love you when you’re silly

I love you when you’re laughing

I love you when you’re frustrated

I love you when you disobey

I love you always and forever, no matter what”

I’m so thankful you’re a verbal processor and that our pillow talk has a way of getting important thoughts out of your head and through your mouth.  I’m also thankful that you feel safe to air your feelings to me.  I cringe to think of never knowing you felt that way.

Now, because of that night and my list of “I love you’s,” you are rooted in the right place. One morning you came down from your room with a kind of scowl on your face.  “Well you sure look like you have your grumpy pants on!  What’s that face for?”

“But mommy, you love me when I’m grumpy.”

“Of course I do, but it’s so much more fun when you’re happy.”

I get to share in moments like that with you all the time now.  You’ll say, “Mommy, you love me when I’m crying” as tears roll down your cheeks.  You even say, “Mommy, you love me when you’re mad.”

I’d say this concept was a mommy win.  Yay!

I love you always,

Mommy