Sunday, June 27, 2010

Snatching a Few Moments With Mom

I put the kids in bed at their normal bedtime.

They cried.

And cried.

Finally stopped.

And I smiled.

Ben came home, opened their door, and woke them up.

They cried.

And cried.

Ben rescued them.

And I blogged.

Ben calmed them down by reading stories, they stole away onto my lap, and I declared, "Bedtime!"

Emily slept.

Andrew cried.

I rescued him.

And blogged.

With him on my lap, touching my face, and giving me lots of snuggles.



I laughed.

And kissed him.

Rocked him.

And smiled.

Sometimes I plan my whole day around bedtime and when the hour finally comes, I sigh with relief. But if it's interrupted by a sad baby, I become grouchy and think unpleasant thoughts. Today I realized I should cherish these one-on-one moments because they don't happen very often. In connection with my recent epiphany, I am choosing to enjoy these times. Even if it does mean the laundry remains on my couch, unfolded.

15 comments:

  1. I'm having one of those nights right now too. I think they are finally both sleeping. And here I am: blogging. :)

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  2. Nice post! I couldn't stop smiling even after i finished reading it. You guys are amazing! Thanks for sharing such an adorable picture of your kid.

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  3. Folded laundry is highly overrated. :)

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  4. Every now and again it is good to embrace that need for a young child to get some extra attention after bed time. My daughter has taken on these very light evenings to sometimes staying awake and calling Daddy up for a chat which he just loves, especially on days all too often when he does not get to see her really before bed time.

    But I like you cherish those hours after bed time when I can be myself, do what I want, enjoy the relative quiet and just relax and recharge.

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  5. Jane, I agree. I look forward to those silent nights. My kids honor their bedtimes 99% of the time; thus, it is rare when one of them wakes up after I put them down. I don't think I made that clear. : )

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  6. Beautiful. And who couldn't resist kisssing that smiling face with those sparkly eyes and glowing cheeks?! How adorable!

    Thanks again for the reminder to have more patience with my own kids and just enjoy the moments.

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  7. Your final paragraph reminds me of Momalom and ck's new Intentional Happiness series. I think you're all right: sometimes we have to stop and decide to enjoy the moment, even if (maybe especially if) they aren't the ones we expected to enjoy!

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  8. This just proves you make a better mom than me.

    My laundry remains on the FLOOR, unfolded. :D

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  9. I fall apart when bedtime doesn't happen. I also fall apart when naptime doesn't happen. I'm starting to suspect I fall apart too often... =P Sweet insight!

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  10. Bedtime is my sacred time... the only quiet time during the day, and I get so bent out of shape so easily... and sometimes that's ok. You have to honor that. But it's always better when you can enjoy those sweet moments when all they want is you :)

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  11. Now that is one precious smile worth dropping everything for!

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  12. What a happy face! Yes, it is always good to choose cuddling over housework.

    I always looked forward to bedtime for the kiddos. It meant I would have a chance to catch my breath and recharge for the next day. Now, my 10 & 13 year old sons stay up later, so there is no respite!

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  13. The other night, I was reading to my youngest--our three year old. He wanted me to read a long bedtime story and I found myself hurrying, cutting and paraphrasing so I could be done. "Why?" the Spirit said. "What's your hurry? Your emails?" That really taught me a lot. My older kids are growing so fast and almost gone. I only have one more shot at young childhood.

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  14. Some days I can do it like that. Other days I still grumble. Guess I need to read more posts like this to remind me of the blessing I'm grumbling about...

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  15. My newborn is sleep-growling, about to wake up and demand to eat at any moment. My oldest just slammed her door during "quiet time" and woke up her brother. And I am frantically trying to get in a few more blogs before chaos ensues. Want to have a virtual laundry-on-the-couch folding party??

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