Everyday Magic

Here is magic for me: Today I went to Babies R Us and got two huge boxes of diaps, a huge tub of wipes, and bottle nipples for Asher’s ever-growing mouthy. I had coupons for 1.50 off both boxes of diaps. I had a 75cent off coupon for the wipes. THEN I had a coupon for a ten dollar gift card for buying the two boxes of diaps. AND a 15% off anything coupon that went for the bottle nipples. Sorry I keep saying nipples…. Anyway, I LOVE when I have coupons and save money on everyday things. I never knew that I would get all giddy over diaper coupons, but I do. I love impressing my husband with coupon combos. My happiness over this only proves the idea that there is joy in the small stuff.
I also got a huge kick out of a new thing Miles did the other day. He got up to the table to play play-doh and noticed there were crumbs in front of him. For the first time, he didn’t call on me to do something about it. He wiped a little pile of crumbs together with the side of his hand and slid them off the edge into his little palm. He did need help at that point, but I just thought it was the greatest moment. Not only was it a bit shocking in the sense of him looking like a little adult, but I was so happy to see him figure it out for himself. Those are the moments that make this time of life so great.
I’m THOROUGHLY enjoying another major leap forward this week. Asher is SLEEPING. Yup, you read that right. He’s doing SO much better! There’s more and more of a daytime schedule forming and his naps are longer. Then at night, he’s going to bed by 7pm. He does wake a couple of times in the evening, but is going back to bed much easier and quicker and then only getting up once in the middle of the night!!!! I have been working hard at accomplishing this, trying to reverse a lot of “accidental parenting” issues around sleep in his life (as the “baby whisperer” would say). I told Ryan on the phone today how well Asher is doing with me cracking down on him, and I then asked what reward he would be bringing me on Friday night when he gets home. He said, “me and a big hug from me.” Cute, real cute.
Asher is also sucking my face. Now, don’t get me wrong! Stop thinking about the teenage version of “sucking face.” Although it does appear to be his version of kissing me. He’ll just be hanging out, being held, when all of the sudden he’ll lunge toward my cheek or chin and start sucking and giggling at the same time. It makes me laugh too, and then I just thank him for the kiss. I’ll tell him it’s gross if he’s still doing it when he’s no longer a baby….Can you imagine, an eighteen year old, leaving the house while giving me a little suck on the cheek?!? Don’t worry, I’ll draw the line WAY before that happens…
I’ve started to realize that people telling me how fast childhood goes is not going to stop. I’m really glad. I don’t find it annoying at all. I think most moms really need to hear that a lot. And we need to really believe it. I’m reading “Marley and Me” by John Grogan. Hilarious book, by the way. Anyway, I was reading last night and he was talking about how fleeting the infant/toddler years are. He said that nothing ever made him more aware of time going by than having kids, because they change so much all the time. For instance, one week they are completely incapable of pronouncing their “L’s” and they’re all “Gwama Yinda is bringing yicorice,” and the next week they’re suddenly capable of clearly saying “Leaping Lizards!” Or one week they’re sleeping in a crib, and the next they’ve somehow become a kid in their “big boy bed.” First their dragging themselves along the floor, army-crawl style, and a week later they’re toddling around on two feet. It’s so true. Little time markers they are! I need to hold on to the everyday magic for dear life and never turn the video camera off!
Whatever the situation is and no matter how tiring that situation has to be, at least we know full well that these days will be missed someday. My grandma sent me an email reminding me of that the other day. She validated that this time is tiring, but she then said now that she’s alone, it isn’t all that great. It was a much needed reminder on a week when I long for time alone. I’m sure someday I’ll feel like my Grandma does. And I’ll be wishing I was back here with my bustling little house. I’ll be wanting to hear a two year old make up his own songs and stories, which Miles has just started to do:
Song – “The robot saves the dave. The robot saves the dave. Buzz comes quick. The robot saves the dave….” This is simply the best when he’s strumming his “banjo” (it’s really a ukulele). Sidenote: He has two Uncle Daves, hence the confusion.
Story – “the little boy is on the street and he crashes and the docor puts a rubber band on his head and he’s all better.”