I just walked past Maggie's room, where she's lying on her tummy with her head to the side and her buttocks stuck in the air, flopping her arms about a little bit in their final 'sleep throes'.
I can't help but smile. I love the thousands of little moments that make up every day of this wonderful life with this little daughter of God. Her face when I walk in in the mornings to pick her up first thing. Her smile when I finish changing her nappy, hold out my hands and say 'up!'. Her excitement when I bring her in to say 'Good morning' to her dad, and the way she giggles and plays with him. The way she toddles after me as I go about the morning, a couple of books or a toy in one hand. Her coming up to show me her books, then accepting them back with a grin, and walking away to go show her daddy or find something else. Watching her learn how to feed herself, pulling apart her sandwiches and taking small and big bites then feeling it in her mouth. THe way she stares at me with her big brown eyes while she's drinking her bottle, then how she pulls it away, looks at me and giggles when she's done. The way she giggles and laughs when I hold her while I brush my teeth, then sticks her head out in a funny way and puckers her lips when it's time to brush hers. Her delight when I pull out her toothbrush. The way she talks all day, making gorgeous sounds and looking at me and pointing at things, like what she's saying has full meaning and she has absolute confidence that I know exactly what she means. Her fascination with everything. Her spontaneous giggles. The way she actually pretends to be picking things up off the ground and eating them sometimes. Her reading 'noise' and her face when she reads. The way she happily plays by herself with her little toys for ages, and I wonder what she's thinking. Her excitement and interest when I carry her around with me any any chore or task. The way she'll be happily playing by herself and then she'll come to me and wrap herself around my legs, then look up at me and smile. Her spontaneous kisses and cuddles. How excited she gets when James comes home. The loud noises she makes when any environment is particularly loud, just to see if she is louder than the noise. The way she gets really snuggly when it's nearly bedtime. Her love of water and absolute joy when she gets in a bath/shower/pool/beach. Her face when something is new and exciting. The way she stares at strangers without smiling, and they think she's shy, but she's just 'learning them', and then the way she'll stare at them as they walk away, and then wave. The way she loves having us read to her. How she's obedient, and comes when we hold out our arms, and giggles and smiles as she toddle-runs over, like she's so excited that we want to hold her, and we are too. The way she's learning to pick things up, and a million other things. The way she holds out her hand to people, just to show she cares, and can see them there. Her giggles when I use her finger to point things out on a page of a book, especially when we count things. The way she relaxes when I powder and change her after a bath, and seems grateful when I clean her little nose and ears and brush her hair. Her grateful little sighs with dinner and bottle. The way she loves pointing out all the pictures when we read her scripture stories at night before bed. When she kisses and waves at whichever parent isn't actually putting her in bed, and rests her head into the shoulder of the parent who is. The way she's happy to go to bed, and gives final kisses then grabs her little blanket and nestles into her pillow. How we go in and make sure she's in a comfortable position before we go to bed, and usually have to push her bottom down or free an arm from a cot bar or something, because she's gone to sleep in a very uncomfortable looking position and we have no idea how she's managed to sleep that way! And then her little noises again in the morning when she wakes up.
So many people are living wonderful excotic lives, travelling the world, seeing amazing things, meeting new people, working in fabulous jobs. But I love my little life! I love that we get up in the morning, and James goes to work or uni, and I take care of our little girl and home all day, and do little projects. Then I love it when James comes home to us, and we eat together and he plays with Maggie and we're all so happy, and the next day we do it all over again. And sometimes James gets time off and we all get to hang out all day. I love that all James wants to do is be the father and husband and look after us and be with us, and I am doing all I want to do too. And how we could earn more money if I went back to teaching, or did relief or something, but we don't need it, and I can't think of anything more fulfilling than being at home, teaching and spending time with this little girl full time instead. I feel so lucky, and I'm so grateful that it's so important to James that I'm able to spend this time with our children as well. And we can do all that exotic stuff later if we want :)
I can't think of a more wonderful life.
And I'm so excited that soon we'll have 2 of these wonderful little people filling our lives with these moments!!
3 comments:
Abby, I love your post. I am so glad that you have put down in writing how you feel about caring for Maggie and your little family, so that it is recorded, and one day Maggie can know how much she has always been loved. I never wrote about my days so clearly - but now, when I read what you have read, I can think, 'yes! That's exactly what it was like!' (and have it recorded by you instead!)
I agree completely that this life you have now is more deep-down satisfying that anything else you could be doing. With all of your exceptional intelligence, talents, and personality, you truly could be doing anything you wanted to - and I certainly believe that you have chosen the best part, and continue to every day, every moment that you do what it takes to be such a wonderful mother! It's very easy to see the results of the parenting from both you and James, in the sweet and happy, confident, secure, obedient little girl that you have!
Kudos to both of you, and to Maggie too! :)
xoxo
Hi Abby, I just read your post and it has made me think that what we do everyday is the BEST job in the world...I too think if I went back to work that we could take an extra holiday or pay more on the mortgage but when you see our babies do new things for the first time or say a new word or recognise colours that you teach them it makes everything seem way less important!!! I love being with Elliahn too and could not have asked for a better job!! Good luck with your pregnancy...hope it all goes well .... look forward to the next cousin catch up!
I love this post Abby!! It made me smile so much reading about Maggie and picturing when she does all that stuff. I love her so much and I can't imagine how much you love her!
You're such an amazing mummy Abs! You're a wonderful example and I thank you for it :)
James, Maggie and secretly-named-Bump are extremely blessed to have you :)
xoxox
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