The setting: Last night was one of the toughest nights at home that I can remember. I worked that day and Patrick was working through the evening also. Jacob wasn't feeling well (we've had all four children go through a cold in the last four weeks...Jacob was the last and actually the worst) and Leyton & Nathaniel were really challenging me with lots of screaming, wanting things "NOW!", etc., and really just wanting to catch up with Mom after I was gone all day. Leah was doing well, just also needing to catch up with me. Jacob was wanting me to hold him on the couch mostly & not hold anyone else. I can understand that. In any event, by the time I tried to get some food for them for dinner and get to the store to pick up some medicine for Jacob, I was just super worn out & needless to say, the evening was not going very easily.
In the midst of the constant ping pong battle of trying to help everyone with what they needed, my first silver lining appeared. Leah has been pulling herself up plenty using chairs, couches, etc., but decided to try something new. She was sitting in the middle of the floor a couple of times, and ended up standing herself up on her own, without pulling up on anything. There she stood in the middle of the room, waving her hands with her cutest little proud grin for all to see. Perfect 10! Then the boys, of course, took a break to notice her accomplishments and did their great cheering section action for her. It was like everything stopped to enjoy the moment. Thank you, Leah! I needed that smile!
Then, when it was bedtime, that was another juggling of being able to get one down at a time to make things easier step by step. I did my best to get Leah down first, then convinced Jacob to lay down in bed with a book while I took care of Leyton & Nathaniel since they seemed more tired. One down, then two, then three. My last few minutes with Jacob before he went to sleep were my next silver lining. He was laying there with his little cough and hoarse voice telling me his random evening thoughts he always has. He told me he wanted me to push him higher on the swing, that he didn't want a cat to come in his room, etc. Then, he took my arm & put it around him and he said, "Mom, I'll take care of you 'cause I will hold you; OK Mommy? Mommy, I love you so much." Wow, that just helped make everything easier to handle and helped me get through the rest of the night. Even when he wasn't feeling well, he was just the sweetest little guy. Thank you, Jacob!
All in all, the kids really are great. We all know, though, that sometimes it's a challenge, yet there's always those little positive moments that are just so precious that it makes everything seem even more worth it and that you know being with them is worth having the challenges, too. I love them so much!
No comments:
Post a Comment