I Love It

Wow. What a fun age this is - and I am talking about 18 months old, not 29 years old, though that is just fine too. I am overflowing with joy and humbleness from God's blessings on our lives. Each night, after a full day of motherhood, wifehood and hopefully a little selfhood, I feel like I am going to either melt or explode from exhaustion. But it is so worth it. There is something so precious about knowing your child more than anything or anyone in the world. Babies aren't self-conscious, they have nothing to hide and they tell it like it is. For that reason, it is easy for a mother of a young child to know him or her fully.

Spending every day and nearly every waking hour with Hayden, Payson and Madison gives me the ultimate front row seat to their lives, to their development and to their ever-evolving personalities. Keith and I love going into their nursery first thing in the morning ("Wait for me" we often tell each other as one of us heads up the stairs). We just can't wait to greet them and see what they have in store for us that day. There are so many things I love about our babies that are hard to capture in photographs. Here's a sampling:

I love how Payson spontaneously hugs and kisses his sisters throughout the day.

I love it when the girls giggle hysterically in their cribs at bedtime as they play games such as shaking their heads back and forth, running towards and away from each other, peekaboo, etc. totally oblivious to the rest of us in the room.

I love when Hayden says, "Noo, noo, noo, noo, noo, noo" at the exact same time that she is doing something that she knows she isn't supposed to.

I love when Madison squeals and giggles when she is in timeout, playing with her reflection in the mirror.

I love when Payson claps for himself after closing a door, putting away a toy or following any given simple command. (Clearly we do a lot of praising around here.)

I love when either Hayden or Madison's bottom lip quivers as they try to hold it together and be big girls when a stranger gets too close too soon.

I love how Payson starts scratching his head when I reach for the spray bottle because he is anticipating me "scratching" his head, unaware that the reason I do it is to spike his hair.

I love when one of the babies voluntarily and spontaneously picks up another babies' favorite toy and walks it over to them.

I love how the girls communicate in their own screaming language from across the house while in separate rooms.

I love when a sleepy Madison melts in your arms when you first get her up from a nap.

I love how desperate Payson is for you to read him a book.

I love when Hayden stomps, dances, twirls and twists all over the house.

I love how Madison gets giggly after she is well fed.

I love the feeling I get while watching the babies' master a new development or skill right in front of my very eyes.

I love it. God is so good.