Me and the Multi-Superhero - Memories Captured

Your sleepy eyes rounded the corner to the bright kitchen.
Your voice not quite ready to talk.
Your blanket snuggled up close to your shirtless belly.

"Can we lay down in your bed together?"

I'd never lay myself back down in my bed with sweaty running clothes.
How could I resist your invitation?

You know what today is.

I had a shower to take and another little boy to get ready.

You handed me the covers as I laid my head next to yours.
We shared my pillow and talked while Wyatt and daddy got ready.
"I'm cold, mommy"
Your voice was so sweet.

We drifted off to sleep.  I don't think I've ever enjoyed a 6:30am nap.

"I had such a good dream.  I'm excited for today."
Our first official one on one day.

You joined your class up on the wall and didn't care that I was not right by your side.  You sat and smiled and were so polite.

Your words never as frequent as they are at home.

But your smile is always the same; full of life and then some.

You're shy but you're not.

You're comfortably quiet around girls and boys and teachers and bees.

You didn't complain when mommy needed her stuff done too. 

I had SUCH an awesome day with YOU!

I'm joining Galit and others in this awesome link-up.  Check her out.  She will leave you yearning to be a better mom.  Then check out the others and their greatness.

Us Being Us - Memories Captured

The boys played.  Their footsteps sinking into the impressions in the ground from the ones that ran there before them.  Football, baseball, softball, chase.  All the games we played on the same grass that lies there today.  The gentle hill sloping toward the house is the same yet different.  Grown trees fence their play.  Years taller than they were when we matched their size.  The same smell of burgers cooking on the grill. 

So many things different.  So many things remain the same. 

My dad grabbed his welding mask (brilliant, if you ask me) and summoned us to the concrete patch at the top of the driveway.  Its wrinkles as deep as some of ours.  Crumbling around the edges but solid in the core. 

It's just an eclipse.

An amazing thing of nature that happens so seldom in one's life.  An amazing moment when just the right timing makes things appear so much more different. 

We stood there.  We waited, checking the moon and the sun ever so often.  Watching it change before our eyes and missing the subtle changes while in conversation.  We laughed.  We were silent.  We were being us and watching them be them.  Playing, laughing, fighting, and squirming. 

I didn't realize how much this little moment in time meant to me until I was inspired to write this post.  Mainly because my sister snapped this picture of us.  Unplanned, unposed, unknown.  Us being us. 

That day there was nothing special except the eclipse and us being together.  No agenda.  Living life the way we wanted to live.  Fishing, talking, laughing, playing, some crying, arguing, little ones upset over dinner, but at the end of the day it's another special day. 

Another special, cherished memory. 


The lump in my throat is thanks to Galit and Alison once again.  Another month of looking forward to inspiration like this for writing and for making the days ahead ones to really look forward to.  Thank you, ladies.

Memories Captured: A Picture From My Dreams

The weather was unseasonably warm on a Saturday.  Saturdays, chore days.  The only day I have to really clean the house. 

Pick up the living room.

Vacuum the floor.

Really clean the kitchen.

At least WIPE the floors in there.

"Boys, come pick up so I can vacuum"

"BUT, it takes for a long time" (this is my whining font)

"I know, but come on, let's hurry up and get this done so we can play."

Truth is we never get to the playing with mommy involved.  They beg and beg or go out with their dad until the afternoon when I have things reasonably clean, have eaten something, and just put Weston down for his nap. 

Then? Then I want to sit down and take a break. But, it is time to get a grocery list together and think about what we are going to do for dinner or where we will go.

But, lately their faces, those chubby cheeks, long eyelashes, and cherry lips have been pulling me away from the things I think I "have" to get done. 

They are only going to be this way once.  Once and with each passing day more sand seeps through my fingers.  Their faces thin out and their legs get just a bit longer with each jammy change.  The shoes start fitting tighter and the elastic in those pants stretch just a bit further. 

"Mom, can we get the pool out?  It is sooooooo nice outside.  I'm going to get my swimming trunks on."

How could I refuse?  How could I choose dirt, crumbs, sticky juice, dirty dishes, and smelly trash over them?

We headed out.  Mommy got some sun and filled up their little pool.  Not too long after their little brother could be seen peeking through the mini blinds that blocked the afternoon sun from his room.  Swim diaper on and out he went. 

Days like this.... they can't get much better.  The days where patience seems to flow freely in my blood even with whining and fighting, tears and overly tired screaming. 

I sat on the steps of the deck taking pictures of dirty just coming out of baby and into toddler hood feet.  They ran over from their swing set and Mario playing to take a break by me.  Sitting there just being together.  I turned the camera on them.  Wyatt threw his arm over his little brother's shoulders.  Their eyes met and Waylon lifted his arm and over Wyatt's head it went.  That picture I dream of that is stapled there in my head.  I got it.  The dream shot and I didn't even ask for it. 

The tears about came to my eyes as I praised them for being so sweet to each other and giving me such a great picture.  They loved it.  They ate it up and cheesed some more.  Normally this moment would have turned into "don't touch me, mom, Wyatt is touching me"  but it didn't.  It was perfect.

This is the way I dream they will be.  Best friends, partners, genuinely loving each other, and being as close as they possibly can be.  If this is a glimpse into my future.... it just melted my cares away.   This is a movie I will play over and over and over again in my head.  Each second I'm away from them, each hour I spend at work for them, each time I close my eyes at night and say their names in my prayers. 

 

This is one of my favorite times of the month where I participate in one of the greatest link-ups that inspires posts like this one and at least one tear down my cheek each time. 

Memories Captured - Waylon

I'm joining Galit and Alison again for one of my favorite link-ups.
By the way, loving PicMonkey!

Let's be honest... this kid?  He can drive me to insanity faster than anything.  He's stubborn.  He talks back.  Hits. Pushes. Bites. Kicks. Screams like a girl. And cries about everything.  He frustrates me.  He will argue until you threaten physical harm.  HE.DOES.NOT.LISTEN! 

But, I can't help but melt when I look at him.  Those huge eyes outlined with those beautifully long eyelashes.  Those toddler arms melting away too quickly into big boy muscles.  That tiny neck getting longer and longer as the days go by.  And that hair, oh his poor hair.  I love this little dude more than I even have the words to express. 

Even though it is cliche, he is too smart for his own good.  I was in awe last night over some logic he put together.  I can't even remember what it was, but he blew me away.  He is sneaky and always watching, carefully planning out his next move.  His poor brothers.  I love the way he always ends up by my side in the middle of the night.  His head touching mine. 

The way he looks when he is being "big".  How he sucks in his lips, bats those eyelashes, and raises his chin.  It's all too much to take sometimes. 

He's defining who he is and I'm trying to keep my patience as we go.  I want nothing more than for him to be strong in what he believes and push for the goals in his life.  I just pray that those goals and beliefs are all pointed in the right direction. 

So I'm going to embrace it and turn his behavior to the right direction when I can.  Because if I could, I would choose to keep him forever just like he is.  The same movie watching, fruit, veggie, and sweets eating, brother loving and hating, mommy needing, and daddy adoring little boy for the rest of my life. 

Memories Captured

WW: Memories Captured

I'm joining Alison and Galit again for one of my all time favorite linkies. I'm also linking up with Kristi and Lish for Wordless Wednesday.

WW: Memories Captured

Two beautiful ladies, Galit from These Little Waves and Alison from Momma Wants This had a brilliant idea of capturing moments right now to savor for later.  I'm linking up because I love the idea.  The reason for this blog is to capture all the stuff I won't remember later.  I was really inspired by Shell's from Things I Can't Say.  The boys are growing up so fast and no one wants to read through a long list of updates as far as what they are into except me or their grandparents, so I thought this was a perfect route to go.  I loved getting these pictures together and really thinking about THEM; what each of them individually like and how much differently they make my heart swell. 

Also linking up to Wordless Wednesday because I miss it like Lish misses the snow!