Some of the best things about being a parent are the tender moments with your kids where you feel really close to them, or where you really feel like they understand something that is important. I have had a few of those lately, and wanted to share them with you. I should write them down more often because these are the moments that make it all worth it.
I will start with Adam. Over the past few months we have been practicing some Christmas duets together. It is always fun to play together, and feel like he actually wants me there practicing with him. It won't be much longer until he is better than I am! This past Saturday was his recital where we performed these duets together. We got a sitter for the other kids, except Jake, and then took him out to Chili's (his choice, his favorite, he loves their ribs and molten chocolate cake) after the recital. It is always just so wonderful to be with them more one on one. He just seems so grown up to me right now. There is nothing specific he said, but it was just the closeness and enjoyment I felt out of our relationship. He and I sometimes butt heads, so I just feel so much relief and happiness when I know he knows I love him. It is a great feeling. I like knowing he actually loves me too, even if I don't know everything.
With Anna, it was a very specific incident. Every Monday night we have Family Home Evening. It is a time we set aside for our family. Everyone participates. We sing together, we pray together, we have a spiritual lesson, a fun activity or game, and, of course, a treat. So far it is something our kids look forward to every week. This past Monday, for our lesson, Greg talked a little about Christmas, and why we celebrate it and then we watched this great DVD called Joy to the World. It has the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing, words read from the Bible of the Christmas story and scenes from that have been portrayed. It also includes words from the Book of Mormon, and tells of the sign the people in the Americas saw at the time of the Savior's birth. It is really well done, and just makes you so grateful for the Savior and this wonderful time of the year. As we were watching this, Anna, who was laying on the floor, gets up and comes and sits by me on the couch. She was crying. She seemed surprised by this, but wanted to be with me. I leaned over and whispered to her that she was feeling the Holy Ghost. Then after we were done, Greg asked everyone what they thought. Anna was quick to answer in the most sincere and loving voice, "Papa, I felt the Holy Ghost while I was watching that." Greg asked her how she knew that. She said because I just felt so happy inside, that Jesus was born. She was just so sweet and sincere about it. It wasn't the answer she thought we wanted to hear, it was from her heart. Being the person I am, I am crying, and just so full of love and joy that this is my little girl. She has such a sweet and sensitive spirit, and already she is starting to understand one of the things we most want her to understand, that the Lord loves her.
After Family Home Evening we put the boys to bed, but Monday is the girls' stay-up-late night (the boys night is Tuesday). This is a time when we get some of that all important one on one time, or two on two time as the case may be sometimes. The kids get to choose what we do, but it has to be interactive, no TV or whatever. Well recently we have started taking the kids out on "dates" on these nights. It was my night for a "date" with Lizzy. She wanted to go to the store. I had some things I needed at JOANN's so we went there. She loved that place! We had to look at everything. Look mom! Isn't this so pretty. OH, how cute. She just went from thing to thing and went on and on about everything. At one point she takes a big breath, and turns to me and says, "I'm a talker tonight!" I just burst out laughing. Yes, she was, but I loved every minute of it. #3 of 5 is a hard place to be in a family. I think Lizzy sometimes struggles to find her place and to shine. It is great to see her at ease, being able to be herself. She is fun and bubbly and playful, and when given the chance, loves to talk!
With Adam and Anna at school, and Liz going to preschool 3 mornings a week, I have more chances for "moments" with Ben. He has become my little buddy. I love that he is always singing. Today he was singing 5 little monkeys to me while I was feeding the baby. Then he decided to change it to five little Jakies. He has such a great voice too. While we watched that Joy to the World DVD last night, he sang along with Angels we Have Heard on High. He picked up on it because that was one of the duets me and Adam have been practicing. It is the cutest thing ever. Sunday the Primary children, ages 3-11 went up to sing a Christmas musical number. He is still in the nursery until January, so he starts crying, because he wants to go up to the front and sing so badly, "Why do the girls get to go up all the time and I don't?" His music brings a lot of joy to our home, even if half the time he is singing "Clementine". By the way when I took him to his 3 year well check, he was 38 lbs., which is 95%, and 40 inches, which is 90%, a big boy.
Are you sick of moments yet? I do have five kids ya' know! Jacob has been the sweetest baby so far. He is the kind of baby that makes other people want to have another baby. Last night he woke up at 3. He wasn't even really crying, it was more of this cute little cooing whine. It's like he is extra gentle with me in the middle of the night. So I fed him, but I had to change his diaper too, so he got good and woke up. Even though it was dark, there was still some light and I could see him smiling at me. I just thought to myself, "I love this baby!" I have been so grateful he has come to our family. After I was done feeding him, I laid him down even though he was still wide awake. He just laid in his bassinet and "talked" to himself until he fell back asleep. I just lay in bed listening to him. Those are the sounds a mother loves, sweet, baby noises. It was just one of those times, where you know it is all worth it.
I don't get to blog as often as I would like so when I do, they tend to be way long posts. Sorry! I would love to hear some of your moments with your children. Being a parent is hard a lot of the time, but also so rewarding.
3 comments:
What a great post, Tammy. You guys do such a great job of making efforts to spend time with each of your kids individually and see them as individuals.
This last week I have gone into my kids rooms after they are asleep just to look at them sleeping and give them an extra kiss to let them know how much I love them.
Some of my sweetest moments with Lawson come when he is going to bed for the night and I lay my head down on his pillow. He has this sweetest little smile that he gives me when he knows I'm looking at him and we whisper "I love you" to each other. He has been so much fun lately to be with - I love taking him shopping with me (when Alia is at school) and getting sweet hugs from him throughout the day.
Many sweet moments come with Alia through her thoughtfulness and the ways she expresses her love. She draws us special pictures and writes notes to me all the time that tell me she loves me. I so appreciate the times that she makes a very conscious effort to be helpful and do things just to be nice.
And for me, it is always a very sweet moment when my children laugh together and play kindly and lovingly. I wish it was like that all the time!
Thank you Tammy. That was a great post to read. I love the special moments with our children. I will make a blog post about mine soon!
I'll add my amen. What a great way to start my morning! You and Greg are such good parents. That must be why you have such great kids. One of my students favorite songs is Clementine. Now I'll think of Ben every time we sing it.
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