slowing down.

I was reading a friend's blog post today. (It will not let me link to it at the moment). She reminded me to slow down and take advantage of all the wonderful things my children have to offer. So many times throughout the hectic days I sit and wish that they could do things for themselves or that they could do things differently. Today I realized that all of the little things.....sitting on my lap instead of wanting to watch TV or go with their friends, telling me a "secret" instead of having a best friend to run to, letting me give them a kiss at school, bathtime, naptime-where I can just stand in their doorway and watch them sleep so peacefully, letting me help them feel better when they are in need, even making them dinner and sitting to eat with them, and yes...even the tantrums/arguements.
All of these things are going to start to slowly slip away. Some already have with Aiden.
I remember when he was born five weeks early and the days when he was in the NICU and so small. I could not even hold him for the first day. Those were the most excruitating 24 hours of my life. I remember reading him books then and now. Now he is beginning to read on his own. Now he has me kiss him goodbye when the bus rounds the corner down the road...not when it pulls up at the driveway. Bathtime has turned into a shower and he wants to do it on his own. The thing I miss the most is the snuggles. He used to want to snuggle all the time and sit with me. Now he is too big to even sit on my lap and when he does snuggle it only lasts a minute and before I can enjoy the moment...it is gone.
Calleigh is such a strong willed, head strong, determined child. I am so proud that she knows what she wants and she goes for it. I want her to grow up and be an independent, kind, strong woman. Sometimes her stubborn qualities frustrate me and put me on edge. However, I would not change it for the world. The story below of her singing in her bedroom is one I truly will remember and I will always see her as that little girl in her own world. I know she is going to grow up and move on to friends. I just hope we can have a strong bond and that no matter what she will always be able to come back to Mom. Calleigh has never been one into all of the above mentioned things that I am afraid of losing. She has always been into her own thing and I love her more and more for it each day. She does enjoy a good snuggle if she is alone with me though....even though that does not happen very often.
Riley is a Momma's boy. I hate to say it, but at the same time...I love to say it! He is always with me and this is the longest stretch I have been home with my children for so he has gotten me the longest. He hates it when I am not with him, he loves to snuggle and just sit with me. He loves when I read him stories and give him baths. He is all about the Mommy right now (Daddy is not quite as happy as mommy is about this). Sometime's I get frustrated because I can not leave him with many people without fits of screaming and tantrums, but Jenn's post reminded me that I need to cherish all of these moments because they are so slowly squeaking by and I am just lucky enough to be able to be called Mom by these three amazing, wonderful, diverse kiddos. I wouldn't change it for the world.