There are so many parenting things I’m completely unprepared for, things I never thought about that touch me deeply.

On Christmas day, we were visiting family, and in attendance were two other children — a ten year old girl, and a four year old girl.  They got along really well with one another, and although they idly interacted with Maia here and there, they were more interested in racing around the house together and playing with each other.

Maia wanted to play with them, though.

Whenever they entered the room, she lit up, watching them.  She offered them her blocks.  She watched them leave the room and toddled after them.  When they went down into the basement, where I wouldn’t let her go, she stood at the door and watched them walk away, her palms pressed to the glass, her brow furrowed in worry.

All of the adults, of course, wanted to play with her, and she loved it a little bit, but we were nothing in comparison to the Big Girls.

At the end of the night, the girls went into the living room and started dancing while listening to the Mamma Mia soundtrack.  Maia loves music, and next thing I knew, this happened:

My heart exploded with love.  The three of them danced and danced; it was amazing, beautiful, and it filled Maia with so much joy.