Overwhelmed...
Today I got one of those emails from a friend that has a whole list of questions and you write short little answers and then forward it to a ton of people. I rarely respond to these but I love reading them. I think their pretty funny. Or at least I think my friends answers are normally pretty funny anyway.
Today's had a question about your favorite time of day. My immediate thought was now. I have a lull in the mornings where I sit down and read a magazine or update the blog and check other blogs or watch the Today Show or whatever. I have quiet grown-up time with a good cup of coffee and a quiet house. Then I thought about the rest of my normal day and other times I like and found two times of the day that trump even now. They're a fair match and I don't think I could pick between the two so I thought I'd share them with all of you today.
The first is bedtime. I joke and say that I like it because I get to put my monkeys to bed and the house can be picked up and stay clean for about 12 hours but really I love it because Mark and I walk the kids up to bed together. Cecelia and Aidan run to pick out books and then Mark or I read and do funny voices and look at pictures and have a nice moment with the kids. Then we go through our blessings and everyone is reminded of how loved we are and how amazing it is to have such a long list of family and friends in our life. Then it's a couple of songs while Aidan runs to the bathroom and gets two cups of water, one for him and one for Cecelia. He takes the cups to her, they drink their water and then he takes them back to the bathroom for her. He insists on getting the water for her. It's so sweet. Then, while we tuck everyone in, hugs and kisses are passed around and things like 'I love you' and 'sweet dreams mama' are said and your heart warms and grows ten times bigger. Sometimes I don't always feel like going upstairs and strong-arming Aidan into pjs or arguing with Cecelia about why it's okay to wear purple tonight instead of pink but I go up anyway because regardless of what wars were fought that day, bedtime makes you feel all warm and fuzzy again.
The other is early in the morning. This is a revisited favorite because I tend to only be awake for it when there's a new baby in the house. As of lately Isla has been wanting to eat about 5am. The world is not quite awake yet but right on the edge. Aidan and Cecelia are still asleep in their beds dreaming those little kid innocent dreams of warm summer breezes and ice cream trucks and silly games at a park. Mark is peacefully sleeping next to me in bliss to have his eyes closed and completely relaxed and Isla and I stare at each other and revel in the quietness of the house and the beauty of a new day. My mind often wanders off to what I have to get done and who needs to go where and the joy of not having to deal with any of it just yet. Most of the time, Isla falls right back asleep after eating and so do I. This morning however I was still awake when Isla fell asleep in my arms so fast. I watched as she twitched a tiny smile in her sleep and then some really big smiles and then she giggled a couple of times in her sleep loud enough to wake herself up for just a second. Beautiful.
Today I feel overwhelmed with love. For my children. For my family. But mostly just for the life I get to have and how many favorite times of day I get.
Today I got one of those emails from a friend that has a whole list of questions and you write short little answers and then forward it to a ton of people. I rarely respond to these but I love reading them. I think their pretty funny. Or at least I think my friends answers are normally pretty funny anyway.
Today's had a question about your favorite time of day. My immediate thought was now. I have a lull in the mornings where I sit down and read a magazine or update the blog and check other blogs or watch the Today Show or whatever. I have quiet grown-up time with a good cup of coffee and a quiet house. Then I thought about the rest of my normal day and other times I like and found two times of the day that trump even now. They're a fair match and I don't think I could pick between the two so I thought I'd share them with all of you today.
The first is bedtime. I joke and say that I like it because I get to put my monkeys to bed and the house can be picked up and stay clean for about 12 hours but really I love it because Mark and I walk the kids up to bed together. Cecelia and Aidan run to pick out books and then Mark or I read and do funny voices and look at pictures and have a nice moment with the kids. Then we go through our blessings and everyone is reminded of how loved we are and how amazing it is to have such a long list of family and friends in our life. Then it's a couple of songs while Aidan runs to the bathroom and gets two cups of water, one for him and one for Cecelia. He takes the cups to her, they drink their water and then he takes them back to the bathroom for her. He insists on getting the water for her. It's so sweet. Then, while we tuck everyone in, hugs and kisses are passed around and things like 'I love you' and 'sweet dreams mama' are said and your heart warms and grows ten times bigger. Sometimes I don't always feel like going upstairs and strong-arming Aidan into pjs or arguing with Cecelia about why it's okay to wear purple tonight instead of pink but I go up anyway because regardless of what wars were fought that day, bedtime makes you feel all warm and fuzzy again.
The other is early in the morning. This is a revisited favorite because I tend to only be awake for it when there's a new baby in the house. As of lately Isla has been wanting to eat about 5am. The world is not quite awake yet but right on the edge. Aidan and Cecelia are still asleep in their beds dreaming those little kid innocent dreams of warm summer breezes and ice cream trucks and silly games at a park. Mark is peacefully sleeping next to me in bliss to have his eyes closed and completely relaxed and Isla and I stare at each other and revel in the quietness of the house and the beauty of a new day. My mind often wanders off to what I have to get done and who needs to go where and the joy of not having to deal with any of it just yet. Most of the time, Isla falls right back asleep after eating and so do I. This morning however I was still awake when Isla fell asleep in my arms so fast. I watched as she twitched a tiny smile in her sleep and then some really big smiles and then she giggled a couple of times in her sleep loud enough to wake herself up for just a second. Beautiful.
Today I feel overwhelmed with love. For my children. For my family. But mostly just for the life I get to have and how many favorite times of day I get.
posted by Reg at 8:35 AM
1 Comments:
Reading that calmed me down from my own stressful day. You are so right. Those little moments will be the bright spots we remember as our children grow. Thanks for sharing that.
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