Mommy I love you!

Hearing those four words from your child are so magical. At least I think they must be. My three year old has never said it before. She does show affection. She loves hugs, and is warming up to kisses...giving them that is. She loves to receive them. But the words I love you are just so powerful to me.

After I read an article in parenting magazine I found out maybe she is saying it without using words. I think the article talks about 8 ways babies show love. Well my daughter is not a baby, but she still shows some of these signs.

But one surprised me a little. It basically says when they act out, they are saying I love you. Check it out at http://www.parenting.com/gallery/Baby/8-Ways-Your-Baby-Says-I-Love-You/9/ But I guess it does make sense. My daughter pretends to bite me at times. This is a behavior that is reserved just for me. She also likes to kick a little harder than she should too. I guess the logic behind all this is, they love you and trust you, so they try out bad behavior on you because they know you won't desert them. I guess that is why the baby-sitter says, "Oh the kids were angels! They went to bed on time and gave me no trouble." I always wonder, why doesn't it work that way when I am putting them to bed? Maybe she loves me so much? Maybe, but I wish she would just say, "Mommy, I love you."