Dear Ones...

To my sweet little girls who just went down for naps:
As I put you to bed, I notice things.  Eliza, your hair smells like the bubbles we just blew all over the kitchen.  Abby, you sat up as I walked out, with a looked that said you were nervous to get off your bed just in case Gonny-Bag came back in - and I wondered if maybe I introduced something scary to you a little too early.  Abby, I also noticed that you weren't scared enough to NOT jump off your bed, run over to the window, pull up the shade, and rock back and forth on the back of the rocker, watching the rain fall on our quiet little circle. 
All while sucking faithfully on your upside-down pacifier, hoping that I won't come in any time soon to catch you out of your bed.  Last night, Eliza, I noticed your warm cheeks along the jaw bone - and felt inside your mouth to discover your two new 1-year molars beating a path through your gums.  That's why I came in the second time you cried and put that *yucky* gel in your mouth to help you get to sleep!  Abby, I've noticed that when I stick around long enough in your room putting Eliza back to sleep that you drift off happily in your own bed.  Otherwise I find you asleep horizontally on the rocking chair or sprawled across the rug, or snuggled up next to Eliza when I come check on you in the middle of the night.  Eliza, I've noticed that YOU'VE noticed that Abby gets at least one book before bed.  Most of the time two.  And I LOVE that you now want that too.  Abby, you noticed this morning that I forgot to brush your teeth last night, and took care of that first thing this morning!  Good work!  Eliza, as far as I can tell, you are the first to notice the sun streaming through the cracks in the pulled shade (or straight through the curtains if Abby happened to open the shade during the night).  You call out a happy greeting (read: squeal, giggle, laugh, MAMA!) getting us all on our feet.  I want you to know that I notice you both snuggling into me as you fall asleep; and I see my little newborns peacefully putting their minds to rest, knowing that Mommy is near.  (And believe me, you NOTICE if I'm not near!)  Thank you both for sleeping so well - and for going down for naps at the same time.  I love you SO MUCH!  Love, Mom.