Small Moments

Photo by Suzanne Tadros Photography

I'm sitting on the couch reading a book while my crazy kids are playing “monkeys” in the other room.  There's a lot of "Ooh ooh! Ah ah!" going on, and the clanging of toy pots and pans.  I am tired.  I'm twelve weeks pregnant and have been struggling with morning sickness for the last six weeks.  For me, “morning sickness” is a misnomer as I start feeling nauseated in the morning and get increasingly worse all day until I finally just have to go to bed early and try again the next day. 

But I love the sound of my kiddos laughing and playing, and I’m thankful that I can get lost in a good book and forget about the dizzying nausea for a while.  I love being pregnant, sick or not, and I love thinking about and praying for this new little life inside of me. 

My three-year-old son Logan is convinced that the baby is a boy.  I guess he’s decided that two big sisters are all the sisters any guy needs.  Every time he talks about the baby he says, “my little brother” or “him.”  I always remind him that the baby could be a girl, too.  One day, after we had that discussion several times, he sighed and said, “Mommy.  I just want to think about the baby is a boy, and I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”  It was so hard not to laugh.  I nodded and gave him a hug, deciding to give him a break from reality for a while. It was an ordinary afternoon.  We were sitting on the couch together because I was too tired and sick to do anything else, and yet we made one of my favorite memories of him so far.

 

I've been thinking a lot about the small moments of motherhood lately.  A few weeks ago, my friend Suzanne came and took some pictures of my kids and me at home.  We were just doing the things that we do every morning, having breakfast, getting ready for school. I didn’t even change out of my yoga pants.  The pictures are perfect.

I love the reminder to pay attention.  That the days of motherhood, which can seem monotonous at times, are made up of a million little opportunities to stop and notice.  To breathe in my kids and who they are, right now.  To breathe out gratitude.

Sometimes, when I get off my computer or stop worrying about the next thing on my to do list, when I remember to pay attention, I can drink it all in and just be still.

The anticipation of my first sip of coffee in the morning.

Photo by Suzanne Tadros Photography.

A tea party with my daughter.

Photo by Suzanne Tadros Photography.

A photo shoot with my son.

Photo by Suzanne Tadros Photography.

Then life speeds up again.  I get back on my computer, or I have to rush the kids out the door to go to school.  But I notice that the more I stop to pay attention, the less chaotic it all seems.

Here’s to finding joy in the little things.  To remembering to stop and pay attention.  To being in the moment--not all the time, but more.  Happy Sunday, friends.