Knowledge (Month Seven)

My happy, curious 7-month-old

Mercedes,

Forgive the cliche, but this month you've decided the world is your oyster. You started the month trying to master sitting up. Wobbly sitting soon led to rocking on your knees. Next, you unexpectedly started backing up. A few weeks later you started to inch forward in what is the hallmark "crawl." Nana would endearingly say you're a "perfectly normal baby." We love perfectly normal babies around here.

Now that you're mobile nothing is off limits, and you enjoy passing the time exploring your little corner of the world. But progress doesn't come without hard work and setbacks, as you've discovered this last month. You have summoned me many times during the day — and even the middle of the night — when you've found yourself stuck. You have fallen many times, quite literally backed yourself into the corner and found your limbs stuck in what looks like unbearably uncomfortable positions. And though you get frustrated and cry, the important part is that when you do conquer a previously elusive maneuver your face lights up with wonder. Sometimes the hardest things in our lives yield the greatest rewards. Never be afraid to chase that wonder, even if the task at hand seems nearly impossible.

This has been my favorite stage of your life. I can't get over the joy of witnessing your mind flourish and unfold right before me. You're much too young to speak, but it is evident in your behavior that every day uncovers new knowledge and experience that enriches your life and molds your being. Each day I fall a little more in love with you, and it's hard for me to imagine how much more my heart will need to expand in the coming years. I have no doubt that each new stage will be my new favorite. But what a rich life? To so love the moment you're in that you can't think of the past or the future. Thank you for that gift.

I look at you now and think about all the things I want you to know. But the truth is, you'll only be directly under my tutelage for 18 years. With the hustle and bustle of life that will go more quickly than I'd like to admit to right now. You'll spend far more time learning — of both religious and secular topics — on your own then you will under my care. My hope is I can teach you how to learn, not what to learn, and you will use that ability to enrich your life and others'. As in 2 Peter 1:5-8, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." My prayer for you is that you use your life's many experiences and gained knowledge to help you become more like the Savior and lift those around you.

I love you, my sweet girl.

Always,
Mama