“Kenzie!”
“Kenzie!”
The name rings in my ear
in her high soprano voice.
I spin around willingly.

She runs at me
arms outstretched.
Her beautiful blond curls bouncing,
the little barrette slowly slipping lower towards her chin,
her big blue eyes open wide and sparkling.
I kneel and open my arms to accept the embrace.

Her little warm body fits into my open arms.
I scoop her up off her feet.
She roars with laughter.
I hold her soft head tight under the hollow of my neck.

Then she gently pushes on my chest,
and pulls away.
She looks me dead in the eye.
I stare into the deep pools of blue
resting on round rosy cheeks.
Her eyes look so serious and intense.

I am overcome by the amount of emotion in the 3 year olds face.
Then she says something she has said many times before,
but this time it was the way she said it
that made me want to pour out tears of happiness,
from my now swelling heart.

Her little hand gingerly caresses my cheek.
Her brow crinkles.

Her tiny little red lips open,
and say,
“I wuv oo Kenzie.”

Tears well up in the corners of my eyes,
I blink in a vain attempt to keep them from tumbling down.
I tuck her head back in my neck where it fits so perfectly,
and, as her sweet breath warms my skin I say,
“ I wuv oo too.”