Weady or not, hewre I come!

I usually let the kids just play to themselves for most of the day while I do a few things around the house. We'll read a few books, play peek-a-boo, watch Tangled or Cars for the 18 kagillionth time, and I'll let them help me with some chores.

Not today.

Today I was all in.

I had three 2 year old boys and three and four year old sisters. And oh boy was it an adventure. Tons of cuddling and tickling and 2 hours of hide and go seek make for a very tired lady. I would have the girls hide and I would hold the boys hands while we crept around the house. They were so cute. I told the girls to count to ten while I hid. "Weady or not, hewre I come," they would shout. Of course I took my hiding opportunity to jump out and scare them. That's what any responsible care giver would do, right??

Anyway, as a result of my being involved I got to know the children on such a deeper level. The youngest girl is often very shy and reserved but today I received tons of hugs and kisses. The little man I have on Fridays isn't usually very cuddly but climbed up on my lap and watched his favorite show with me. Not to mention all of the unwarranted kisses from my little guy.

What a blessing to climb into their world for a little bit and just enjoy them instead of always trying to manage them. Even as a stay at home mom I find that sometimes the whole day can go by without me truly engaging with my son. Now, I certainly do not have the energy level to engage that fiercely everyday, but I do want to make sure that I am taking advantage of the time I have with them.

Whatever your situation - working mom, stay at home mom - don't waste the time you are given with your children. You never get it back. We are tired, rundown, overworked, and have a million other things to take care of. We tend to take for granted the people we feel will always be there. I don't ever want to forget what this time in his life was like.

Here's my little Noah, isn't he just gorgeous?