Crushed Leaves and Mother-Son Dances
Today, in spite of the crazy, I'm so thankful that I soaked up the little moments. Sometimes it's hard to remember how little Henry is, especially compared with his brother and sister. I miss the little things he does that make him so completely four. Today I didn't, and I'm grateful.
My parents watched the kids while we went to a wedding today, and they collected a variety of leaves to learn their different names. I love how my dad, especially, is helping them develop a love for nature. Henry crushed up one of the leaves and told me to smell it. I took a deep breath as he said, "Doesn't it smell delicious, Mommy? It's like a salad that God made!" A little later he and I ran to the store. He chattered the whole way there and back, "Mommy, Grampy and Grammy took us to McDonalds! And even Cora ate a whole Happy Meal by herself! And then we even got to go out for ice cream, and Cora even ate a cone. But she couldn't have ice cream because it's made with milk and sugar and babies can't have that--not until her one year old kid birthday (which is what he always calls it). So she just ate the cone instead...." And on and on and on he talked. I loved it. In the middle of talking, he threw his arms up in the air and made a face reminiscent of Po on Kung Fu Panda--face contorted and tongue hanging out, head drooped forward. It had nothing to do with what he was saying and came out of no where. It was like he didn't even notice he'd done it, and went right back to talking. I almost laughed out loud because it dawned on me just how much he's a four-year-old. The incessant talking, the magical quality everything takes on (everything involves secret doors and hidden stairways these days), the body that he can't quite seem to control. For all the adult-like qualities he seems to have lately, today I'm glad he's four. I'm glad I noticed that he's four.
It's probably highlighted by the wedding we attended this morning. One of "our guys," a resident and former RA, got married today. At the reception, they had a slideshow playing on the screen with picture after picture of him dressed up as Spiderman, a knight, a firefighter... He looked very much like my boys on any given day. And then I looked at him, dancing with his mom, all grown up. I was a weepy mess anyway today, but I lost it. How quickly they grow up--and I know it. I think I came home wanting partly to freeze Henry in these Spiderman days. Or at least stop and linger here a while. Soon enough, it will be us on that dance floor, shaking our heads in amazement, wondering when he traded the superhero costume for the tuxedo.
By the way, I saved the crushed leaves. I tucked them in my Bible to remind me of the little moments. If I can't freeze Henry here, at least I can savor the things that remind me of him at this age.
My parents watched the kids while we went to a wedding today, and they collected a variety of leaves to learn their different names. I love how my dad, especially, is helping them develop a love for nature. Henry crushed up one of the leaves and told me to smell it. I took a deep breath as he said, "Doesn't it smell delicious, Mommy? It's like a salad that God made!" A little later he and I ran to the store. He chattered the whole way there and back, "Mommy, Grampy and Grammy took us to McDonalds! And even Cora ate a whole Happy Meal by herself! And then we even got to go out for ice cream, and Cora even ate a cone. But she couldn't have ice cream because it's made with milk and sugar and babies can't have that--not until her one year old kid birthday (which is what he always calls it). So she just ate the cone instead...." And on and on and on he talked. I loved it. In the middle of talking, he threw his arms up in the air and made a face reminiscent of Po on Kung Fu Panda--face contorted and tongue hanging out, head drooped forward. It had nothing to do with what he was saying and came out of no where. It was like he didn't even notice he'd done it, and went right back to talking. I almost laughed out loud because it dawned on me just how much he's a four-year-old. The incessant talking, the magical quality everything takes on (everything involves secret doors and hidden stairways these days), the body that he can't quite seem to control. For all the adult-like qualities he seems to have lately, today I'm glad he's four. I'm glad I noticed that he's four.
It's probably highlighted by the wedding we attended this morning. One of "our guys," a resident and former RA, got married today. At the reception, they had a slideshow playing on the screen with picture after picture of him dressed up as Spiderman, a knight, a firefighter... He looked very much like my boys on any given day. And then I looked at him, dancing with his mom, all grown up. I was a weepy mess anyway today, but I lost it. How quickly they grow up--and I know it. I think I came home wanting partly to freeze Henry in these Spiderman days. Or at least stop and linger here a while. Soon enough, it will be us on that dance floor, shaking our heads in amazement, wondering when he traded the superhero costume for the tuxedo.
By the way, I saved the crushed leaves. I tucked them in my Bible to remind me of the little moments. If I can't freeze Henry here, at least I can savor the things that remind me of him at this age.
