These moments

Can I freeze this moment? When I'm cuddling my girl in my lap, her body still warm from sleep and her sparkling eyes watching her brother? When he's laughing as he lifts his foot up to the couch where I'm sitting with her. He waits for her to grab it.

"Promise, grab this foot now," he explains.

She touches his foot, he pulls it away and they both erupt into laughter. He lifts the other foot and the two of them think it's the best game in the world.

Or can I freeze the moment where I get to cuddle my sleeping baby? After she's nursed (for the umpteemth time) and she leans her head back and I can feel her contentment and trust, lying heavily in my arms in her drowsy sleepiness. Can I keep this moment forever?

How about when Daddy gets home from work, and Isaac runs to him with a great big hug, exclaiming "Daddy's home!" And Promise wiggles and squawks and demands Daddy's attention, excited he's home and expecting to be picked up, right now! How do I capture this moment?

There are so many islands of calm and joy in our days of chaos and crying. It's hard to remember them, sandwiched in between the day-to-day normal stuff that happens. But as they happen, I try to take time to appreciate them. I cherish the moment, because it's all I have. Too soon, my baby will be a little girl, running and jumping with her big brother. Too soon my firstborn will be headed off to school, lunch in his backpack and hours without me in his life. Too soon my house will be spic and span and I will cry for the days of cheerios on the floor, poopy diapers and dirty laundry.

So I savour these moments, because I can't freeze them.

Some every-day but special moments recently:

Isaac putting his ears in the water in the bathtub for the first time. He had a blast rolling around on hus tummy and back.

Isaac thought they were doing a train. Promise was just tired, laying on the ground with her fingers in her mouth and occasionally sticking her head up. Made me smile.

Isaac playing train with the kitchen chairs. We usually go to Purden, but sometimes we take the train to the grocery store or the snail store.












These pix are from Promise's 10 month Paku photos. Isaac hops up and starts reading a book with Promise, taking joy in showing her all the vehicles in his book. I love these little people!