So I Don't Forget...

At 21 months old, Rhett and Rhys are changing so fast and learning something new everyday.  It is exciting, but also makes me a bit emotional.  Even though the days are sometimes long and challenging, I am so very thankful for these days.  So many things I don't want to forget...

*Rhett adores Rhys and she is the first thing he asks for in the morning when I get him out of bed.  I love hearing that boy say "Weee?"

*Rhys is obsessed with cell phones.  She knows how to work my iPhone, and can quickly find the Veggie Tales app and scroll through pictures and videos.  She knows how to work the volume, get back to the "home" screen, and turn it off.  She usually only gets to hold my phone or play with it on special occasions, when we are out of town or out of the house on errands, etc.  While we are playing at home, however, she has become quite creative and can make a phone out of anything!  She will even use her hand as a phone if she doesn't have a toy.  Rhys usually jabbers while on her phone and if you ask her who she is talking to she will more than likely say it is "Guger" (Sugar - my mom).  She will jabber and then say "bye."

 Her favorite "phone", a rectangular block (she also texts on it!)

 Rhys busy on her phone while playing

using the Wii remote as a phone

Rhys' making a call during breakfast

*Both R&R love their stuff animals and love carrying them around all day long.  So fun to see them claim some as their own (Rhys-giraffe, frog, pig, sheep and Rhett-puppy, monkey).  They share them, fight over them, push them around in the shopping cart and laundry baskets....these animals get lots of love!

 Rhysie lovin on her lamb

hiding out with all the animals

 going shopping

Rhett bringing Rhys her animals 

*When Rhys is tired and I am holding her, she will gently rub my back with that sweet little hand.

*Rhett will run up to me throughout the day and just give me a hug....I hope this never stops!

Thank you, Lord, for these precious memories!

6:18 a.m.

Today Rhett woke up at 6:18 a.m.  When I heard him crying, I checked the monitor and found him standing in his crib, looking towards the door, and getting louder every second.  I knew he wasn't going to go back to sleep, and I didn't want him to wake Rhys up.  Tim was still snoring (how do guys sleep through the crying anyway?) and so I got up to get Rhett.

I must confess, though, that I was annoyed.  I didn't want to get up at 6:18 a.m.  He was supposed to sleep until at least 7 a.m.  And why did I have to get up?  Why didn't Tim jump out of bed so that I could sleep a little more?  We did have a schedule to keep, ya know?

I know what some of you are thinking....that I must be a brat to be complaining that I had to get up just 45 minutes earlier than usual.  And maybe I am a brat.  But I was tired.  And I had stayed up too late last night doing important things.  Okay, so maybe not important, but I had stayed up watching t.v., reading status updates on facebook, catching up on all the blogs I like to read, and looking for fun activities to do with the twins on Pinterest.  And we had had a busy weekend with lots of company.  So let's just say that I was a little grumpy from my lack of sleep.

So, yeah, it was 6:18 a.m. and I drug my feet down the hall to the nursery.  I opened the door and heard a little voice say, "hi."  But it was more like "hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii," because Rhett likes to draw out the words he knows.  I like to think this is because he is from Texas.  Anyway, it was cute, but I was still annoyed.  I picked him up and then sat down in the big chair with him.

At first, my mind started racing with negative thoughts, like, "it's so cold in here...I'm going to be tired all day...our schedule will be off....I'm going to have Rhys up when Rhett sleeps and Rhett up when Rhys sleeps...what about my time...I'm probably going to have a headache...when am I going to take a shower...why can't he just sleep...I'm not appreciated...blah blah blah.

As we sat there in that dark, quiet room, Rhett snuggled his face into my shoulder and I felt his whole body relax against me.  I felt his hot little breath on my neck.  And immediately I was thankful for that moment.

My heart was convicted, and I knew that I had definitely been acting like a brat.  I couldn't believe that God would allow me to be Rhett's mom, me-- the one who was feeling so sorry for herself that she had to get up early, me--the one who is so selfish so often.

In that moment, I thanked God for my sweet children, for my family, and for allowing me to be a mother.  I thanked him for forgiving me, and for giving me a fresh start each day.  I am truly blessed and have so much to be thankful for.

Because I love being a mom....

Even at 6:18 a.m.

Today is a Gift

"You will never have this day with your children again.

Today is a gift.

Breathe and notice.

Study their little faces and feet.

Relish the charms of the present.

Enjoy today, mama, it will be gone before you know it."

(quote by Jen Hatmaker from her book, Out of the Spin Cycle)

Yep, needed to read these words today.  It was one.of.those.days.  The kind of day where you just want to get in bed and pull the covers up over your head and hide.  Or stand in the pantry and eat Oreos.  Alone.  (Note: I may or may not have done one of the above mentioned activities.)

Being a mom is hard work!  It can sometimes be lonely, even when you seem to never get a moment alone.  I don't want to wish these chaotic days away.  I just want to say that it is hard.  That is all.  It is hard to hear a sweet giggle when there has been whining all day.  It is hard to notice a big brother give his baby sister a hug when they have been fighting over toys most of the day.  It is hard to just enjoy the day when the kitchen floor is covered in dropped cheerios and last night's dinner crumbs.  It is hard to balance playing with the kids and making sure that load of laundry gets put in the dryer, folded, and put away.  It is hard.

Older women frequently remind me that kids grow up so fast, and that one day I will miss these days.  I know it is true.  So as my kids grow up before my eyes, I know that God is using these days to grow me, too.

So on days like today, I remind myself that today is a gift.