This little man hasn’t totally been himself lately and it’s been simultaneously driving me crazy, confusing me, and making me really sad. Parenting little ones is so much simpler than parenting them as they grow, in my opinion. When they’re little, you’re just keeping them alive! Now, it’s like the real work has begun. I miss those simpler days. Anyway, I’m sure it’s all a stage (right?! RIGHT?). And to be expected as his life has been turned a bit upside down over the last few months but I am looking forward to getting back into our routine where he feels more himself.
In any event, I have been making notes on my iPhone for the last several months of sweet things I want to remember about all the kids. Here’s some Parker ones (some are quite old as I started this list months ago!) since, you know, there’s not quite as much sweetness at the moment:
Steve caught him pulling out yet another tennis racket from the shed. “How many more of these do you need, Parker?” “Buff two.”
Steve took the boys for a walk one day while I got work done, and once I was done (and so eager for their return) I sat outside to wait on the front step. They rounded the corner and I see that Parker is in one Toms shoe, one flip flop, green board shorts, a rash guard, and a helmet (while standing on the glider board). Normal.
Parker didn’t want oatmeal for breakfast until I told him that he’d need to work outside because we needed his help moving mulch and that the other boys would’ve had healthy breakfasts to keep them strong. With a heavy sigh, and an okay, he ate.
Parker snuck into my room while I was nursing Anders to sleep and whispered really quietly, “I really like my books.”
Looking out the window to Parker walking across the driveway towards the house, rain boots on, goggles on, and a toolbox in each hand.
Parker flipping a shirt around before putting it on and exclaiming, “I know how to insides out it!”
Putting the boys to bed the first night in Zurich and Parker wanted to hold Anders hand while they fell asleep.
At Chatsworth House just the other day he was flipping through We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. He spent a few minutes doing this, and then said, “This last page makes me sad.” (I totally agreed.)
You went to Chatsworth?! Of all of your journeys, I think Switzerland and Chatsworth are the ones I will have to live most vicariously through the Hunt clan about. Your Wengen pictures were more beautiful than seems possible!
I save these moments for my little girl, too, in the form of "Dear Audrey…" in a book. Sometimes for bedtime stories, I read her "letters" to her and she absolutely loves it. She loves hearing the ones my mom did for me when I was little, as well. I think kids love to be reassured that you are paying attention to the little things amidst all the big things. Especially growing up in a big family (5 kids), it made my heart sing a little that my mom noticed specific things about me in the middle of a whole passel of kids running amok.
Best wishes on the rest of your trip!
That is so cute on them holding hand. Awww!
So, I'm not a Mom (yet), but I do work with kids and families, which led me to hear a speaker two weeks ago. When I was pulling her book out of my bag today, it made me think of this post and wanted to share. Her name is Dr. Tina Payne Bryson and the book is "The Whole Brain Child". There is another one called "No Drama Discipline". She is so thoughtful and really gives great emotion focused parenting strategies for kids of all ages!