Pure joy

Everyday with Kiya brings me pure joy. I can see the joy and innocence on her face and it makes me smile.

Take for example, her recent attempts to pull herself up. She has been successful pulling herself up from sitting on the ground a few times now which is BIG progress for her. She has gotten to a stand at the coffee table, the couch and her toy box. When she does do it she gets this grin and not just a little grin but a huge, "I am so proud of myself grin". You can see her whole face light up and sometimes she even claps for herself.

Or how about the times when she gets the shapes in her shape shorter. Again with the grin and again with the clapping.

Or better yet, the time this last week when she took two unassisted steps from her chair to her Daddy and then lunched forward in a full belly laugh.

Or even the time she, with our help, climbed up the stairs. She was just so thrilled.

Or the way she will try to splash all of the water out of the bathtub while laughing hysterically.

Or the way she will peak around a couch or cabinet or chair or even a piece of paper to play peek a boo. Such joy in her face.

Or when she figured out how to change the letters in her Fridge Alphabet toy. Such excitement that produced much dancing to the new letter sound and much clapping.

I should try and capture that grin as it is always the same grin but hard to get on camera.

She has such a joyous spirit and an innocence about her that I envy. She doesn't yet have the burdens of life and reality on her shoulders. She can live life to the fullest with little worries at this point and it is sweet to see her do so everyday.