Rocking Chair Times

I just put Alexia down for her morning nap as usual, 10am. Times like this morning are the type of experiences I want to remember about being a mom. I was just telling Ryan this morning at breakfast how I am sad that there are days where I am so preoccupied with my own agenda, or Alexia gives me a run for my money, that I realize I have not stopped to take joy in her by the end of the day. But morning like today make up for all those "lost" times.

Alexia was chatty at breakfast, saying a few new words: "donkey" (there is currently a pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey up from a birthday party we hosted over the weekend) and "donut" (she is a true Grossman now). When it was time to put her down, we did our normal routine: get her blanket, hold her in my lap and read a book. I've started getting in the habit of holding her a little while before putting her in her crib and asking the questions: "Do you want to go in your bed?" Her response, "no". I just think this is so funny because she has learned to communicate her preferences. For a while I felt like she just said "no" to everything, not truly understanding the context of the word. I follow up with the question, "Do you want me to hold you and snuggle?" Her response, "yeah". But today, I sang to her (which I don't do much of). It was my own rendition of "Silent Night," which I hummed because I don't know the words. Laying in my lap and looking up at me she started singing with me. So there we were, looking at each other humming a song together. It was too much for me to handle that she was clearly singing with me, and I laughed hysterically. Which she laughed just as hard. This continued on a couple more times, singing followed by laughing, until it seemed like I was trying too hard to keep a good thing going.

Now both girls are down, I can take time to do my own thing, and I feel quite fulfilled with the joy of parenting. And it's only 11am.