Yesterday was a typical Sunday morning at our house. I got the kids up and gave them their waters and some cereal while they watched Zootopia 2 (or as Joseph calls it, “Toopia”). Then Jillian got up, made the kids breakfast, and got them ready for the day.
We headed outside so Jillian could do some yard work and I could hang out with the boys. Brooks hit some wiffle balls, and then I pushed both boys on the swings before they had a snack. Later, Brooks and I walked up to the baseball fields for a practice with some friends. After dinner, the whole family went for a walk around the neighborhood. Brooks brought his scooter and Joseph brought his strider bike. We ended up at the local school, where the kids played in the parking lot while Jillian chased them around and I sat on the curb and took it all in.
Right now, the boys are both at the stage where they always want Mom. All we hear throughout the house is, “Mom,” “Mommy,” “Mama,” and “Where’s Mama?” all day long. But they want me sometimes too, like when it’s time to hit the ball, swing, or wrestle. I’m a big target if I ever try to lay down in the living room. Last night, I laid back on the sidewalk at the school and Joseph promptly came over and sat on my head.
It’s easy to forget in the hustle of everyday life that kids don’t know all the stresses we place upon ourselves. They just think it’s always time to play, even when it isn’t convenient.
Brooks is six and Joseph is only two. Right now they want their Mom, and sometimes their Dad. They want us to watch them do every silly stunt they can think of in the living room, carry them through the house, watch movies, color, make things out of slime, build Legos, and the list goes on and on.
But that’s not always going to be the case.
Someday they’ll grow up and go to friends’ houses or run up to the park by themselves. They won’t need help on the swings or with their bikes. And that’s part of growing up and becoming independent.
So right now, I need to remind myself that one day I am going to miss being needed and that I should enjoy those moments while I still can. The chores around the house, the blog posts to write, and the errands to run aren’t going anywhere. But the years of the kids being little will disappear.
The thoughts in this post are reflected in a song I wrote called The Last Time, and I’ve included a link below if you’d like to listen.
The Young Napoleon Project 