Grateful Heart

I spied on the boys while they slept tonight.  Having a quiet moment to study their peaceful faces brings sweet reflections and gratitude to my heart.  Everything goes so quickly in motherhood.  My children's stages are here and gone before I can adequately capture it.  Perhaps it is impossible.  But, as I try, I am reminded of how much I adore these little people--who will soon be young people--who will grow into big people.  What a blessing it is to be their mother.

Recently, Aaron has been interested in how strong he is, and how much he is growing.  Alright, maybe it's not exactly recent.  He has always been fascinated by his own growth.  Maybe all children are, but I love how he draws attention to it--flexes his muscles for me, sizes himself up against me when I'm sitting on the floor, and measures the length of his pants vs. the ankles that always seem to protrude from them.  The other day, during one of size-up sessions he said, "But, don't worry mom, I won't grow so big that you can't hold me."  I laughed, knowing that he rephrased that line I give to him whenever he shows me how much he is growing.  I responded, "Maybe someday you will be so big that you will have to hold me."  He thought that was a very strange thing to say.

And, my JJ. Oh, this little rascal that won't "say" thank you, but shows it in many ways.  While playing "tunnels" in the hall today, Jared flopped himself onto my belly again and again-rolling around without abandon across me, trusting me completely to keep his big head from flopping onto the floor.  I love that big head so much.  Dr. Grandpappy says he is proportionate, and I believe him--90th percentile in height consistently.  (But it is fun to tease about his honkin noggin).  Just last week I tried  a shirt on Aaron and the sleeves were too short, so I put it on Jared.  It wasn't a perfect fit, but it won' t be too long until his arms fill the sleeves.  I didn't bother putting it in storage.

Seeing my boys sweetly sleeping makes me want to make even more out of the time we have together while we are awake.  I hope Aaron always begs me to "play cars" with him.  I hope Jdog always brings me books and scoots backwards towards my lap.  And, even if they grow out of cars and board books, I'll never loose hope that my boys will want me to play something with them, or read something to them.  They make me happy.  I am so grateful to be their mother.