The Day Has Come

I knew this day would come.  I just didn't know it would be this soon.  Only a couple of weeks ago, it still seemed so far away.  But, the day had to come...and today is the day it happened.  Today, Ella said, "because."  Ella said "because," and I almost cried.  If you've followed my blog for a while, you may remember me writing about Ella saying, "cause be" instead of "because."  It was the cutest thing ever.  We would ask her questions, just to hear her say, "cause be."  We even went as far as to forbid Aidan from correcting her, because we wanted her to keep saying it.  (Is that wrong?)  Aidan was sure she would go to her first job interview saying, "cause be."  It would be her ruin.  

But, today, the "cause be" era ended.  Ella was in trouble for hitting another little girl at Bible Study.  When I asked her why she did it, she said, "because...."  Ouch.  I died a little.  Surely it was a fluke, so later I asked her again, "so, why did you do that?"  Because.  Not Cause-be.  I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach.  I have asked her a few more questions just to test it, and every time...because.

I know it seems silly to mourn this little milestone, but it is just one symptom in a long list.  A long list of symptoms that all point to one thing...she is growing up.  My feisty, dramatic, emotional little bitty girl is becoming a strong, articulate, extremely intelligent big girl.  And while I absolutely adore the big girl she is becoming, I am sad that the little girl is slipping through my fingers.  I know I will miss her, cause-be she is a very special little girl.  So, today, I am a little sad, "cause-be" my baby girl is not much of a baby anymore.  :(