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Elisabet Ylfa, 2 years and 10 months old.

She sat down next to me on the sofa today after I picked her up from school. She started asking me about a difficult memory from three weeks ago, a memory of an event I was hoping she had not really taken in when it happened. As she talked about it she became emotional and pointed out how her world was changing. People are leaving and those who are left behind are sad and angry. She is a little bit too observant for her own good. I had my camera in my hand so I snatched a photo of her in mid conversation.

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She has been so engrossed in imagination play this week. It is hard to make contact with her because I never know by what name she will answer each moment. Her favorite role has been "mom" to all of her stuffed animals and dolls. Which I find kind of fascinating and curious, since she tends to mirror my speech and actions.

Mother daughter thoughts.

Me and my mamma by Dolores Park in 2011.

These past days, Ylfa has begun showing a lot of affection and love towards me. She has been in such a kissing and hugging mode that I sometimes can't keep up with all of her kisses. It has been wonderful to see her starting to have such strong emotions. She has not quite gotten the hang of who is mamma and who is daddy but she is getting close. At least she knows that if she's feeling bad she wants "mamamamamama". It gives me a giddy feeling to feel how much she loves me. This has gotten me thinking about how our relationship will be in the future. Will we be friends through her teen years? Will we be close? Will we be like me and my mom?
My relationship with my mom has not always been wonderful. I have to admit that I was a horrible teenager. I did everything to show resistance to my parents. But deep down I had this huge respect for them and was so proud to be their daughter. It was just really hard for me to show it to them. Slowly as I grew older me and my mum started building our relationship again and I admitted to my follies. We are now very close. I speak to her as often as I can, almost every day and she is always the first I seek advice from. When I became pregnant I moved back in to my parents house so I could have my baby in Iceland. When I was alone and sick with a one week old baby she was there to help me. When I moved back to the states after having Ylfa in Iceland she came with me to help me adjust to living in a different country with a baby. I am so grateful for my mom.

Ylfa super excited over her Lotso teddy last christmas.

I hope one day to be this close with my daughter.. crossing my fingers that she will be a nicer teenager than I was!