Kaden knows about praying. He's sure to do it before each meal. He holds his hands up to his face and mumbles "juja juja wababa" and gibberish finishing with "man" for his version of Amen. When he is commended for this he may repeat it several times and we all try to join in as many times as we can before we start to starve! I love to see the connection between his little heart and God already. Logan presumed that God couldn't understand Kaden's prayer and I told him it's more about the attitude than the words. Where did that gem of wisdom come from. I'll give God the credit, because I am so frazzelled by suppertime most nights.
Logan prays regularly too, but often it becomes a race to see how fast he can say his prayer "Thank you God for my mom and dad, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends, & Kaden and this food. Amen." This has been his long-standing meal prayer and was expanded to include "& Kaden" at the arrival of his dear little brother. He has a precious heart for God too, but perhaps it's time for a new meal prayer that is not bound for a world speed record!
Now, Kaden also "get's" sleepy time. When someone is napping, pretending to nap, pictured in a book napping, etc. he makes the funniest little snoring sound. Something like an asthmatic pig. Very cute ! (unless you are truly trying to sleep...)
Well Kaden's confusion came when for the first time since he got mobile and wiggly, we brought him into "big" church. On 5th Sundays, the PrimeTime Kid's Church group leads worship and I knew he'd like the songs they were doing. I planned to take him back to the nursery when (not if!) he got disruptive. So June 29 (our anniversary), he watched and even "sang" along with the opening worship songs and enjoyed the motions the kids do with them. Next came prayer time. Concerns and praises where shared and we bowed our heads. I admit I had a very slightly opened eye on Kaden and he was watching me too. Before I knew it he had leaned his little head into my side and (you saw this coming didn't you) snored! Repeatedly! Eric & I were probably the only ones who realized what that noise meant, and boy did we have a hard time not laughing during the rest of that prayer. I gave him one more chance and then quickly escorted by favorite respiratory-impaired swine to the nursery. What a funny mixup! Out of the mouths and NOSES of babes!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
...in mothering
Wow! This is a big one. Each day with a 6 yr old and a 1 year old is a roller coaster of events and emotions. I love to see their sweet faces first thing every morning (at least when it's after 6 am) and I love to see them for the last time each day (especially if it's right at 8 pm). These two times are joyful for such opposite reasons and yet are the same.
I love to see their happy faces first thing. Even if bedtime was a crazy circus the night before or if one of them was wound so tight that a teary pillow (more often for them than me, but could be both!) was the end of previous day, they wake with hope. They are hope are tousled hair! I love to hear what LJ might have dreamed about and I always hear that first request for chocolate milk. He knows how to get his own, but loves to start his day being SERVED this traditional sip of Ovaltine and milk. His Daddy got him started on it. I love to see KJ's need to explore and tease from his first waking moment. Daddy can try to play sleepy, but he usually gets tickled in K's sweet goocy goo way with boundless giggles to follow. The "large print" alarm clock on our headboard has been the fascination of both boys at various ages. How it has survived 12 years and the two of them is beyond me. As soon K is brought into our room from his crib (while we find literal balance and equilibrium before our morning begins), he's laughing and climbing. This is a recurring theme in his day. He climbs the chairs, the playhouse in the backyard (yikes! it's tall!), and anything else he finds interesting. At the top, he claps for himself and his latest achievement and then giggles. My favorite climb of the day is when he climbs me after bedtime snack. He holds me close and climbs to that comfy spot on my torso and shoulder where he still barely fits with one arm around me and one around his "nigh, nigh" and we climb the stairs together to his room and crib. At this point, Logan is supposed to be getting himself ready for bed and it's so hard for him to wait his turn for Mommy. EJ, revered hubby and Daddy, is so great to help with the bedtime chaos, but just waiting for that last traditional "huggnkiss" from Mommy is so hard for L. He had 5 years in the spotlight and though it was rough at first, he's a very loving big brother. I love to see them down for the night. That means time to wrap up my day and snuggle with my hubby. And...listen. Quiet. Oh, the blissful quiet! For several hours anyway, my two biggest and best responsibilities are asleep.
I am eternally grateful to God above for blessing me with these two boisterous boys - that is always the same. I thought at one time that we would not have children, and later that we would have an only child. Now I can not imagine life without either of them. God is teaching me so much about myself through them, even if it is as blatent as realizing my worst qualities have been magnified in the process of passing my DNA! Again, that's a whole other blog post waiting to be written. The rant on the low points on the roller coaster will have wait. Today is a great day. A family day. The Lord's Day.
I love to see their happy faces first thing. Even if bedtime was a crazy circus the night before or if one of them was wound so tight that a teary pillow (more often for them than me, but could be both!) was the end of previous day, they wake with hope. They are hope are tousled hair! I love to hear what LJ might have dreamed about and I always hear that first request for chocolate milk. He knows how to get his own, but loves to start his day being SERVED this traditional sip of Ovaltine and milk. His Daddy got him started on it. I love to see KJ's need to explore and tease from his first waking moment. Daddy can try to play sleepy, but he usually gets tickled in K's sweet goocy goo way with boundless giggles to follow. The "large print" alarm clock on our headboard has been the fascination of both boys at various ages. How it has survived 12 years and the two of them is beyond me. As soon K is brought into our room from his crib (while we find literal balance and equilibrium before our morning begins), he's laughing and climbing. This is a recurring theme in his day. He climbs the chairs, the playhouse in the backyard (yikes! it's tall!), and anything else he finds interesting. At the top, he claps for himself and his latest achievement and then giggles. My favorite climb of the day is when he climbs me after bedtime snack. He holds me close and climbs to that comfy spot on my torso and shoulder where he still barely fits with one arm around me and one around his "nigh, nigh" and we climb the stairs together to his room and crib. At this point, Logan is supposed to be getting himself ready for bed and it's so hard for him to wait his turn for Mommy. EJ, revered hubby and Daddy, is so great to help with the bedtime chaos, but just waiting for that last traditional "huggnkiss" from Mommy is so hard for L. He had 5 years in the spotlight and though it was rough at first, he's a very loving big brother. I love to see them down for the night. That means time to wrap up my day and snuggle with my hubby. And...listen. Quiet. Oh, the blissful quiet! For several hours anyway, my two biggest and best responsibilities are asleep.
I am eternally grateful to God above for blessing me with these two boisterous boys - that is always the same. I thought at one time that we would not have children, and later that we would have an only child. Now I can not imagine life without either of them. God is teaching me so much about myself through them, even if it is as blatent as realizing my worst qualities have been magnified in the process of passing my DNA! Again, that's a whole other blog post waiting to be written. The rant on the low points on the roller coaster will have wait. Today is a great day. A family day. The Lord's Day.
Why Balance?
Because being out of it is not fun! As my wonderful hubby and I just celebrated 12 years of wedded bliss (yeah, for the most part), the sixth birthday of our oldest son and the 16 month milestone for our younger one I find myself searching for something. I believe balance is it. Balance in my roles as child of the one true God, wife, mother, daughter, friend, freelance designer, Sunday School teacher, etc. It's the etc. that is lost in the struggle to find balance. I have forgotten some of what etc. used to be. I remember when LJ was much younger and I was needing to spiff up my resume to get a "naptime" job rolling, I got to the part where I used to list my hobbies and interests and I could hardly remember the last time I had done any "reading, walking, scrapbooking" that didn't include a small child. I ended up adding "L___, age 1" as a hobby and the lady interviewing me to design their small magazine thought that was great. Ha! Hobby - He and his brother are my full time, all the time, and anytime job. I love them dearly and I admit I love to spend time with them and ignore the housework. That's a whole other blog entry. To sum up the whole purpose for starting this blog: I need to journal, vent, get perspective and find balance. A little older and much wiser cousin of mine has imparted to her daughter that balance is what life's all about. Bring it on! Sooner the better!
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