the real moosh.

The terrible twos are called terrible because suddenly your sweet bundle of joy develops an opinion.

Three is just as bad because not only do they still have the opinions, they also suddenly have the desire to do things ALL! BY! THEMSELVES!

Then there’s four (almost five.) Complete with the opinion plus desire to do things ALL! BY! THEMSELVES! only now having the ability to actually start doing things ALL! BY! THEMSELVES! comes into play.

the moosh can do so much.

Calling her the moosh seems so juvenile compared to the real person that spends her days with me. In the past week I have had to get her bigger clothes, no longer can I shop in the toddler section. 5T is a thing of the past. Her feet grew two sizes over the summer which meant bigger shoes and bigger socks. We had to get her a bigger bike, her knees were hitting the handlebars of her old one. She barely fits in her toddler bed. We even had to get her bigger underpants, she’s been without diapers for almost two years.

She’s starting to read. She can write “I love you mom and dad.” She knows what prosciutto is. She knows how to make toast and how to frost a cupcake. She can brush her own teeth and sings along to Hannah Montana. She knows the difference between dark and milk chocolate. Her head comes up to my chest. She no longer fits in shopping carts. She can swing in the big swings all by herself. Last week she washed her own hair during her bath.

Post Swim Swirly Curls.

She hasn’t fallen asleep in my arms in almost two years.

She has 16 freckles besides the dozens sprinkling her nose.

Her name is Mary Adelaide and she is named after my grandma.

Everyone who loves her dearly (and there’s hundreds) just call her Addie.

There’s nothing baby about my baby anymore.

the moosh.

Except that she will always be my baby.

134 thoughts on “the real moosh.

  1. This post made me cry! I love your blog, but this post is so precious. It adds so much to know her real name, thank you for sharing!

    Maybe I am crying as I am on crazy drugs trying to make my own little moosh. Her hair is also beautiful!

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  2. Such a wonderful post. I started reading your blog a few years ago when you used to post all of her outfits. A Moosh fashion show if you will. I ALWAYS wondered what her real name was! I thought i would never know! She is such an adorable, sweet, fun kid. You are truly blessed!

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    1. @jen, Heh, notice how the outfits stopped when the opinion formed? Now it’s red and white striped shirts with pink and lime green shorts. (and cowboy boots of course.)

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  3. Loved that post, Casey! It made my heart ache a little more about my own little Mara growing up more every day. It made my (currently) infertile uterus SCREAM at me with an absolute craving for another baby. And now….I’m crying….at work!

    When we met Addie, her name just fit her and her little personality. Mara still remembers her. Thanks for the beautiful post. Really, beautiful!

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  4. Woah. This is a big day! 🙂 LOVE LOVE LOVE the name Addie. What a darling.

    And yes, she will always be your baby. (Cue Mariah Carey) My mom called me “Bababanoush” and “Banooshka” or some weird Yiddish/Polish nickname that I never understood. And by “called” I mean “calls” because she still calls me that and I’m twenty-six.

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  5. Oh – so sweeeeet. I knew her name from an email you sent me AGES ago and I love it!

    I’ve wondered about “outing” my kids names. How did you decide to do it? (I mean besides that a baby’s nickname is being outgrown IRL.)

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  6. Such a sweet post! My girls are at all different stages. I can see the future of what they will be like and I can remember them when they were that age, all at the same time. I have an 11 yr, 5 yr, and almost 2 yr-old. I do miss them being little. Even my baby hasn’t fallen asleep in my arms in a while. Sigh.

    P.S. Mary is my mom’s name.

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  7. I read this via blackberry last night and had to come back this morning to tell you how much I love it. I think I started reading when the moosh was almost 2…what a beautiful baby to keep watching grow up!!

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  8. A kid that loves prosciutto?? I love kids with developed taste buds:) and to be honest I was concerned if I ran into you guys at the state fair what I would address the moosh as.. like “hello Miss. Moosh” OR “hello Casey’s little girl” yeah i’m a dork – but my mama taught me manners, plus I didn’t want my girls see my bad manners. lol.. Such a pretty name for such a pretty girl!

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  9. My daughter (3 in November) surprised me this past Spring by knowing the words to “The Best of Both Worlds”.
    She’s known the difference between chocolate and white milk for almost two years now.
    The two of us drink mostly chocolate.

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  10. Addie? Oh that fits her so much.

    Five (um nearly five) seems so big. Mine turned five in July and I can’t seem to figure out when she stopped being a baby. But she’s definitely not. Then again, I’m still in denial, that in December, I will have an eight year old child. Sigh.

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  11. What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl! That baby picture is just too cute for words, so smooshable.

    And kids who appreciate the finer culinary delights (beyond nuggets and mac & cheese) rock!

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  12. Addie…how very cute and fitting for “the moosh”.
    And that baby pic… I could just reach through the screen.

    I’ve rotated my pictures at work. The baby pictures have come to the forefront and the recent pictures have been pushed back…temporarily.
    Because now that I have these big six year olds that are about to enter first grade I realize how fast it’s gone by.
    I try and remind myself of that in moments of frustration. I want to savor all the moments because really it all does happen so quickly.

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  13. I remember when I first heard you call her Addie, and I was thinking “Who’s Addie?” And then “Duh…”

    She’ll always be the Moosh to me. But she’s perfect no matter what. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

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  14. I’m listening to Pandora as I read your post. What’s on? U2’s “The Sweetest Thing” — seems kind of appropriate don’t you think? Love the name. It’s no surprise she’d have a great name, considering her wonderful mama. Yes, it goes way too fast. My oldest started kindergarten this year.

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  15. I’m listening to Pandora as I read your post. What’s on? U2’s “The Sweetest Thing” — seems kind of appropriate don’t you think? Love the name. It’s no surprise she’d have a great name, considering her wonderful mama. Yes, it goes way too fast. My oldest started kindergarten this year.
    BTW I love your blog!

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  16. I call my niece (Jenna, who is 7 going on whatever age Hannah Montana is) Pumpkin. The other day she corrected me, “IT…IS…PUN…kin.” So sorry kid, so sorry.

    They grow too fast.

    As everyone else has said, I could never imagine a name perfect enough for the moosh, but I think Mary Adelaide (which, I tend to think Adelaide is one of the most beautiful names on earth) is perfect. And “Addie” is such a sweet, spunky nickname for what appears to be a sweet, amazing kid.

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    1. And apparently I lied. I asked her last night. She rolled her eyes and said, “It’s PU-kin.” Which might be worse. She agreed I could call her pumpkin.

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  17. I wondered if you would ever reveal her real name… I’m so happy to see that you spell Addie the same way as my little Adelaide! Its always been my favorite girls name. I’m in the same “fertility boat” as you right now, and I constantly wonder if my Addie will be my only one… thanks for always making me feel like I’m not alone!

    and, p.s. I love the baby picture… its priceless!

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  18. Her name is BEAUTIFUL. I love it!

    We are thinking about coming to Indy for my bday next weekend, you have a recommendation on fun things to do? 🙂

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  19. This post is so timely for me. My only child started preschool this week and hasn’t fallen asleep in my arms in probably two years as well. You’re lucky you haven’t heard “I hate you yet”. My son has already gone through that phase once.

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  20. Is it weird to feel so emotional over knowing her name? Like I’ve been invited into an exclusive circle of trust…along with the rest of the world. I cried. She’s beautiful and so are you and so are your words!

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