Monday, January 9, 2012

Ten.

Mama Kat's got a list out of prompts this week and I chose numero quatro: "Many of us like to poke fun at some of the things that drive us crazy as parents…let’s flip the script, what are 10 things you love about motherhood?"


  1. I love to watch the kids sleep. LOVE. I love how Lillie whistles through the gap in her teeth. I like to listen to Logan giggle and kick the wall. They are both extreme opposites of one another in sleep as well as in life. Lillie sleeps like a rock and I can more than likely find her in the same position I left her should I walk in and have to wake her up in the mornings. Lo, on the other hand, is so active in his sleep that we're never surprised to hear a "thud" from his room and even less surprised that he crawls back into bed like nothing ever happened.
  2. Their joy and lust for life. Granted, I am not a morning person and can be a little snippy with them before the coffee kicks in, it is still wonderful to see their squishy faces first thing in the morning.
  3. It's true what they say about seeing the world anew through your children's eyes. Logan is very inquisitive with lots of why's and how come's, but not nearly as much as some other children I've had the pleasure of encountering. Lillie is opening my mind to art on a whole other level, her level. If I could get away with painting naked and free handing with chalk on the walls, I would totally do it. I bet it's freeing.
  4. I love the challenge that being a Mother has brought me. Every day is a scavenger hunt that leaves me asking myself, "How on God's green Earth did this end up here?" It's a game I never knew I'd love. The OCD in me loves it. Gives me an excuse to sort all their toys and bring order to something at the end of the day month.
  5. Watching them grow. It's both heart breaking and awe inspiring. Lo no longer holds any semblance of a baby in his face or body. He lost the sweet creases on his baby thighs sometime around his first birthday. His ears are already bigger than mine, which isn't really surprising seeing as mine stopped growing sometime around toddler hood. Lillie though... my baby... I look at her from across the room and I can see this little girl aching to break free of her toddler body. It literally BREAKS. MY. HEART. Her legs are getting longer and leaner, yet she's still got that soft baby chub in her thighs and cheeks. (Both sets of cheeks in case you're curious.) After her bath the other night, I held her still small feet up to my face and just rested my head on them. Tonight as she tried so hard not to drift off to sleep I held her, rocked and sang to her while because I know that she won't always be 28 pounds of sweet baby... that when I attempt to hold her Brother, who's only got 10 pounds on her, feels like I'm carrying a bag of bricks. This "growing up" business is what ruin's a Mom for good, and yet, I'm so honored to get to engage with them in different and new ways every day.
  6. Lillie disciplines her babies. She doesn't spank or yell (neither of which I do often), but she puts them in time out when they've been "naughty" and talks to them about how they behaved. This alone makes my heart swell because it shows me she's listening. Now if I can only talk her out of this "potty humor" her Brother has got her into. If I hear "butt monster" one more time I'm going to quit and have myself committed.
  7. Lo has a big heart and is so social, even I want to be him when I grow up. He loves everyone, cares for everyone and constantly wants to play and engage with others. He's slowly growing into his imagination and it's fun to watch him try and convince others that he's Batman, Hulk, a Jedi, or insert pretty much any of his flavors of the week here. He's constantly seeking approval through his Dad who knows EVERYTHING about superheros. Meaning Daddy is his absolute favorite person right now.
  8. I love finding delight on their faces when I do something right by them. If I give in and make Macaroni and Cheese it's almost better than a parade coming through the living room. Almost.
  9. Finding faith upon conception. It is THAT awe inspiring. Here are these children and they have your eyes, his feet and ears, your unfortunate hair type, his body type, your personality, his nerdiness, etc. How could there not be something, someone out there creating us as their masterpieces. What goes on in your mind while you are growing a child inside of you is something that can not be described in words other than maybe saying it's like a silent conversation with a best friend.
  10. I love being a Mom. Yes it's stressful, yes it's heartbreaking, YES it is the most rewarding job I've ever had. I couldn't imagine being anyone else or ever going back to my childless days. Sometimes I think back to our life pre-children and feel like Lo should be there somewhere or Lillie should be scaling the cabinets in our old apartment in search of "the good snacks." They're there in my mind as if they've always existed just on another plane of consciousness. I still feel like we're not quite complete, like there are puzzle pieces missing... but who knows, maybe it's because we're not even halfway through our lives yet and there's still so much more living and mommying to do with the best kids I could have ever asked for.

16 comments:

  1. I hoped you would pick and write about this one! Yay! Your number one is also my number one. Watching my babies sleep makes me tear up everytime. No matter how crazy the day is or how naughty they've been or stressed I've been, watching them sleep reminds me how wonderfully blessed I am and how amazing they are. Kids are what brings true breath to our souls :) Oh and I for one, loathe the growing up. I want to cuddle and eskimo kiss my kidlets forever. Those times are running short for me and I loathe that. LOATHE! LoL.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think them sleeping is the closest thing I can get to the calm of having them as infants on our chests, as a Mama you MUST know what I mean by this. Lillie likes to wrap her little arms around my neck and rest her head on my cheek. It's how we slept when we were co-sleeping her first 6 months, and she still does this when I pull her into bed with me. I can seriously feel my heart jump outside my body when she curls into me. All this coming from a self proclaimed NON-snuggler. I'm not a hugger either. But oh my word, for my children, ANY TIME!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love all your thoughts. They brought a smile to my face! I can tell through your writing how much you love and appreciate your children.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The times when they are asleep are awesome. Their little faces are so yummy. I'd kiss mine all over their cute little faces when they're sleeping...if I wasn't afraid of waking them :)

    loved all your list though

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kendra, I do love them with all of my heart and more. And beyond appreciating the joy they've brought into my life, I'm respectful (or try to be) of their little individualities. As much as I'd like to mold them like clay, they are already their own little people. I couldn't have hand PICKED better children to be my own.

    Sister, I don't dare kiss on Lo while he's sleeping. He's a light sleeper and would have 20 questions for me after the first peck. Lillie however, is DELICIOUS when she sleeps. Thanks for stopping in!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely list! I now see several more I could have added to mine. 10 just isn't enough! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for stopping in! 10 isn't enough, but I was struggling when I did this one. I probably shouldn't write when I'm tired, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sleeping children...ahhh...nothing cuter, no? My girls are 10 and 18 and when they're asleep I can still see their tiny, little, "infant faces" in their much older faces. Great list...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Pam! Honor to have you swing by. :) And yes, I totally see their widdle baby faces when they're sleeping. Her more than him.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love watching my boy sleep!


    You know, Farrah Fawcett did an entire video/dvd thing where she painted while naked... It was probably very freeing for her. Hehe--and I could never do that.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lemme lose another 20 pounds and MAYBE I'll feel comfortable doing that!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I so swoon for #3. It's amazing, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Swoon isn't even close to how I feel. I can just sit there and listen to Lillie's reasoning and think how she could probably end world hunger in just a few hours.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fabulous list! I really only got to my first thing. But if I had the time... Who am I kidding? Your's rocks!

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a sweet post. You hear so many Moms complain all the time, I love to hear what is RIGHT about kids for a change! Thansk for popping by my blog today.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Andrea, pshh! Without the kids I wouldn't have a post to write. :) I'm so grateful to have them in my life.

    Adrian, You're very welcome. I try and hit as many blogs as I can WHEN I can. And you're right, I've fallen and complained before, but I try and keep this blog positive. One day they will read what I've written, and while I want to keep it completely honest and true to life (which isn't always roses, right?) I'd like for them to look back and see that I did love them very much and that I cherished all the little moments good and bad.

    ReplyDelete