Small Joys

It has been suggested to me that as a mother, I should find joy in the small things. Little things that my children do each day. "They" say that some day I will long for these moments. So, this post is about that.

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Isaiah eats like a chipmunk. He takes huge bites and as many of them as possible, storing up extra food in his puffy cheeks. Then he slowly chews and swallows. Then repeat. Asher eats like each bite might bite him back. Small, dainty bites - yet he somehow manages to make a huge mess. Naomi eats like a lady - wiping her face with a napkin frequently. I love to watch them eat.

I love it when they nap. Duh. But I also love it when they nap long enough that I miss them. Then when they get up we are all energized and ready to play and talk some more.

Is there anything better than a chubby, grubby little kid laying on his tummy, little feet swinging in the air behind him? Especially when those feet are bare!

Naomi is a planner. When I tell her what the plan is for the day she always asks follow-up questions about time and details. And throughout the day as we finish one thing, she confirms what is next on the agenda.

The other day Asher was having a bad moment and he told me that he was angry. I sat next to him and very seriously said, "Do you know what happens to angry little boys?" He shook his head, no. I said, "We tickle them until they're not angry anymore!" And I tickled him. I stopped after a minute and said "Are you still angry?" He smiled and shook his head then said "Oh, I mean, yes! I angry still!" So I tickled him some more, repeat, repeat, repeat. Now he comes up to me and puts on a frowny face and says "I angry!" and then flashes me a huge grin. And off we go to tickle.

Isaiah still won't talk. I've been focusing on not giving him things until he tries to say the words. Today at lunch he wanted some more juice. I said "You have to say 'May I please have some more juice?". And he replied "Uh uh uuh uh uh uh uhh?" (All the correct cadence and emphasis, just no real words)

Isaiah lets me cuddle and kiss on him for a minute or so before pulling away, sometimes even initiating cuddles. Asher likes to sit on my lap, but doesn't like being restrained in any way during cuddles - no arms around him. Naomi sometimes tolerates me touching her because she knows it makes me happy. She goes stiff as a board and tries not to scowl or pull away immediately.

When Naomi is coming downstairs when she should be in bed, she walks very slowly and deliberately. Placing each foot carefully and noiselessly. She gives me the cutest little slow, sweet, I'm-an-angel, half-smile as she approaches to plead her case.

Asher breaks words in half and says them in the wrong order. For example: "Mom, I got-fer my tiger upstairs." (forgot)

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This turned into a much longer post than I thought it would. I guess there really are a lot of cute little quirky things that my kids do that I love. I suppose I believe "Them". I really will miss these things when they're gone.