Motherhood

My friend, Brooke, recently extended this challenge to the readers of her (private) blog:

What is your 'best of the best' normal, nothing fancy, moment with your children you hope they will remember when they are grown?
Something you do daily or weekly that is small and simple, uncomplicated but that you treasure and that makes being a mother the 'best of the best.'

I've been thinking a lot about this challenge the past few days and to be honest, I'm stumped. Part of it may be because the past few days have been filled with way too much whining from my kiddos, and part of it may be because I just couldn't narrow it down. So in response to the challenge, I thought I would list some of the little things that help me love my life as a mom...
What I love...

• that everytime Sarah wants to tell me something, she grabs my face to turn it towards her.

• that occasionally, when Sam finishes a drink, he'll say, "That's some good sauce, buddy."

• when Sarah does something like jumps off the stairs and says, "That's whee-ish."

• that Sam insists on saying his personal prayers every night so he doesn't have bad dreams.

• that Sarah would be content for the rest of her life if all she had was someone scratching her tummy.

• watching them grow up... Like hearing either of them have a conversation with their friend. It is so special to witness their thought processes mature and develop.

• that Sam loves his friends. The other day we went to get an ice cream cone from McD's and he wanted to bring one home for Rachel.

• that Sarah's temper tantrums have drastically diminished to maybe one a week now. (WHEW!!!!)

• that Sam can play on his own now for a little bit... He's LOVING legos.

• that Sarah wants to do whatever Sam is doing. The other day they each got a present from their soccer coach. Sam got an Incredible's watch and Sarah got a fairy necklace. Sarah wanted nothing to do with the necklace. She was so upset she didn't get a watch.

• that Sam still wants to paint his toenails whenever Sarah does. But he also knows well enough to hide them with socks.

• that Sarah is her OWN person. We were recently at a dr.s appt and at the end she got to pick a sticker. She had her choice of Backyardigans, Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony, and Spiderman. No-brainer! Spiderman, hands down!

• that they both love their daddy beyond words. If they had a genie come out of a lamp and offer them one wish... it would be to spend a day with daddy. They miss him so much and cry for him often. (I really hope he doesn't read this post. It would break his heart.)

• that they made a chain today to countdown to Dave's vacation week. (or Vucation, as Sam calls it. Or Mucation, as Sarah calls it.)

• That Sam has learned to sound-spell at kindergarten. Here's how he sound-spelled "one hundred": whujrid

• that S&S' favorite game to play with me is this... I get the spraybottle and sit on the chair while they run back and forth down the hallway trying not to get sprayed by me. Second runner-up... I sit in the doorway of the bathroom with all the bath towels in the entire house while they run back and forth down the hallway. Every time they run past I nail them with a towel. They think it is HIlarious!

• conversations like this: Sam "She made a mistake." Me: "Yeah, everyone makes mistakes. Even kids." (You see, he's fully aware that grown-ups make mistakes b/c he's constantly catching my mistakes.) Sam "Except Jesus." Sarah "Yeah. He's our Maker."

• that Sarah calls Tootsie Rolls-- Rootsie Tolls

• that Sam says there's "NUCH" thing as the Easter Bunny

• I could honestly go on and on and on, but when it comes right down to it... My ALL-TIME warmest, fuzziest moments as a mother come when the two of them are playing together... When they are making each other laugh hysterically and having nothing but a good time together. Of course it always ends with one of them crying, but until then, I sit back and smile from head to toe.

Please no guilty feelings for those mom's out there who are struggling to enjoy... Been there!!!