Love Letters

My sweet little girl. After quite a few tearful partings, Sofia is beginning to blow kisses and wave when I leave school. We now have a routine where she follows me to the gate and gives me a kiss through a heart-shaped opening and then she climbs up the ladder that overlooks the fence and blows me lots of kisses and waves as I walk down the street. It is blissful. So much love coming from that little girl. When she does begin to miss us, she lets one of her teachers know and one of them will sit with her while she dictates a note to us. It goes something like this : "Dear Mommy and Daddy, My Mommy is the best. She is my best friend. And Daddy is the best too. I love Luca and Silvio. I love my Mommy and Daddy so much. Love Sofia." She writes a few every day and each is full of praises and love for her family. Sofia is such an amazing little girl, who loves to share herself. She has always been incredibly expressive, but I feel like she has begun to understand what love feels like. She will tell me she loves me at any given moment and does the same to her brothers. She constantly says, "mommy, you're my best friend" or "Mommy, you are my favorite." I know. So sweet. Sofia is just full of love to give and share. She is also incredibly affectionate, snuggling into my arms every chance she gets. She loves to give squeezes and needs lots of hugs and kisses throughout the day. I could live in that little girl's arms. I try to revel in every single second because I know these moments are fleeting. There will come the day that she does not want to hold my hand, refuses to hug me, and is silent when I tell her I love her. For now, I will take every single hug, squeeze, kiss, snuggle, and "you're the best" I can get. I am enjoying every Mommy love letter, trying desperately to hold on to my little girl who loves Mommy so much. She is growing up so fast, but she will always be my sweet Sofia, "my favorite little girl in the whole wide world."