Early Riser

I think the good Lord must have been reading my recent blog about missing my “cuddle time” with Landen. My evidence? Just this week, Landen decided that when he wakes up early in the mornings, he’d rather crawl into bed and cuddle with me than go in the living room and watch TV. In case that isn’t enough proof for you, keep in mind that this boy has gotten up earlier than the rest of us for years and we’ve always left the TV set to PBS or Disney so he could turn it on in the morning and allow the rest of us a few more moments of shut-eye. In other words, Landen hasn’t gotten in our bed in the mornings to cuddle with me since he was old enough to walk into the living room and turn on the TV.

Needless to say, it’s been a true blessing to start my day with a little “cuddle time.” We usually invite Lauren and Macy to the mix at some point, too. It's all good with the exception of Jim thinking our queen sized bed might not be big enough after all. :)

Just Remember

Earlier this week, I was feeling overwhelmed at work due to a long “to do” list and too many deadlines. I wasn’t quite myself on Wednesday because of it. My perceptive daughter picked up on my stress (and mood) and wrote me the following note, which brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart (and a bit of a chuckle, too):

Mom,
I love you. When you are grumpy, just remember I forgive you! When you get grumpy, you can praise God or read this. REMEMBER, I LOVE YOU! Mom, if you get freaked out, remember God is always with you. NEVER EVER FORGET that God and Jesus are always with you.
I LOVE YOU!
Lauren

I Can Spell Mississippi!

I had the biggest flashback yesterday! We got home from school and Lauren said, "Mom, I can spell Mississippi. M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I. We learned it at school!"

She was so proud of herself, which is probably why it reminded me of another girl (who looked a lot like Lauren) learning how to spell the same word many years ago. Only we had a special trick. Remember? "M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpack-I."

I remember it like it were yesterday. I was so proud of myself and excited to demonstrate to my mom what I had learned at school that day. My, how time flies! I wonder how many more flashbacks I have coming in the years to come?

My Superhero

Landen loves pretending he's a superhero. I picked up a few costumes (Superman, Batman & Spiderman) at a garage sale a couple of years back and he has put them to good use, to say the least. He also likes to make up his own superheros. Today, he's wearing his swim goggles and pretending he's "Waterman," saving all ocean dwellers from water monsters.

I told him a few minutes ago that I was going upstairs to finish getting ready for work and that he could stay downstairs to play. His reply? "I'm Waterman. Waterman doesn't play."

Missing my Cuddle Buddy

For the first three years of his life, Landen was a "momma's boy" to the extreme. Whether he was tired, just waking up, going to bed, hurt or just watching TV, he wanted his mommy nearby. I knew Landen was my last baby and I was happy to be the center of his universe for awhile. I especially enjoyed our quiet moments, the cuddle time after he first woke up and before going to bed. But, I knew it wouldn't last forever. From the minimal reading I've done on child development, I also knew that around the age of three or four, it would be important for Landen to pull away from me and start identifying more with Daddy. And that's exactly what has happened over the past six months.

The day he turned four, Landen decided he was a "big boy" and wanted to be just like his daddy. He went from wanting Mommy near him every minute to asking to be tucked in by Daddy once in awhile. When he draws pictures for the fridge, sometimes he starts with Daddy's picture. He likes to help Jim with projects and run errands with him. He's busy and "on the go" just like every other four-year-old boy you know.

It's been fun to see Landen mature into an independent preschooler who insists on walking himself to his classroom at school. And I'm joyful that our only son is "Daddy's little buddy." Yet, some days I miss my little baby boy, who always insisted that I take time to cuddle with him in the morning and before bed. So, last night, when my "big boy" got out of bed and asked me to read him a Little Critter book--again--I couldn't resist. He laid down next to me on the couch and we read together, cuddling all the while.

What Do You Think?

One day several years ago, when Lauren was just a preschooler, I asked her what she was thinking. I was probing for the quiet innermost thoughts of a preschooler. You know, the "penny for your thoughts" kind of question. Only Lauren was too young to understand that. Trying to please her mommy, she replied, "I think I love you...and I do."

So, for years now, every time I ask Lauren what she's thinking, I get that same reply. The amazing thing is that it's always a surprise to me! I probably ask the question once a week or so, almost subconciously, trying to make conversation. And I always expect a real answer. Instead, I get a wonderful little day brightener. "I think I love you...and I do."

Chatter Time

One of my favorite parts of the day is after Jim and I have tucked the kids in and I sneak back into Lauren's room to "chat." We talk about anything she wants...something that happened at school that day, a question she might have, or an activity we are looking forward to in the coming days.

Back when we started this nightly ritual, Lauren would ask, "Mommy, do we get to chatter tonight?" Thus, the name for our special time together. I look forward to a lifetime of "chatter time" memories with my beautiful daughter.