Anything worse than teething?

Nope.

Our little girl had it so rough with her 6th tooth; fevers, crying, diarrhea, endless nights and days of nursing... Even after the tooth broke through the gums it caused Ayla so much pain. Most of the time I felt like crying right along with her. Having a daughter, I realize, has enhanced my senses and emotions, and it has also put everything in a new perspective.

When (not if, as I know it's bound to happen) a rejection letter surfaces in my pile of mail, it won't hurt as much as it did when I received one before our daughter was born.

Achieving an hour of time to spin out some creativity feels like a day at an amusement park, full of rushed excitement and dizziness.

Reading boardbooks of only 20 words is as thrilling as reading a children's book. Well, maybe not as thrilling but as educational!

Singing quirky songs and rhymes over and over in the car when Ayla is crying spins my mind into a silly state, and soon new lines and words are added until I've created a sing-aloud book in mid-air.

Signing eat, drink, more, all done, and bath time with my daughter enhances my awareness of images of babies and children in books.

Rubbing our dear daughter's back for 80 minutes to get her down for a nap is the test of patience. Now I don't rush to finish a manuscript to put it in the post. It stews for days until I can read it again and make revisions.

Hugs and cuddles from my daughter top the list. She fills me up with a love that would take a lifetime to describe. She is my inspiration!