the way you do the things you do

Feb 18

Posted by: Rachel in: blog, caleb isaiah, memories, parenting

It is too early and for whatever reason I cannot think of any clever theme between these happenings, but I simply want to record them before I forget…

The way your little mind works never ceases to amaze me. The things you can remember…wow. Yesterday you carried around a Hot Wheels Nascar that we accidentally stole from the church nursery when attending a wedding. Charley and this car went everywhere with you. At some point last night, you got the car stuck in your bedrail. We have that million piece “travel” snap-together bedrail that I have never put together without reading the instructions. The cloth is made of mesh and thin nylon, and there are pockets everywhere for different poles to go through. This morning, you suddenly remembered your little car. You enlisted Charley’s help by putting his foot in the palm of my hand and having Charley “pull” me out of the chair. You ran in your bedroom and started tapping the bedrail. I told you there was nothing there, and started to walk away, but you persisted. Sure enough, after investigation, there was your Hot Wheels.

So I blow dry your hair. It is just one more thing we can talk about in therapy years from now. Seriously it cuts waaaay down on the bedhead. I swear. Anyway, when I’m done, I pick you up off the toilet, where you stand, and look in the mirror. I just need to admire the handywork your dad and I made. Seriously, I still ask myself…did we really do that? Is he really ours? Cause man he’s cute! hahaha So most times I point in the mirror and say something like ‘look at that cute baby!’ On this occasion, you pointed at yourself in the mirror and said “Aaawe.” I just burst out laughing. You made a funny. You laughed at me laughing at you. Classic.

I can’t begin to say how cute it is to watch you clop around the house in my tennis shoes (always on the wrong foot). And to watch you run…priceless. Especially when wearing your birthday suit. You just run full speed ahead, like there is no tomorrow, and don’t even know where you’re running to…you’re just running.

You love to include Charley. Charley reminds me of the Velveteen Rabbit. He is a real toy. He is loved beyond words. We went out to eat for Valentine’s Day. Before you colored on the window, threw everything under the booth on the floor, and threw a bag right in the middle of my food…you were coloring on the children’s menu. There was a huge dinosaur scene printed on the paper. You would take a crayon out of the cup, place it carefully against Charley’s foot (the front one I may add), and help Charley to color on the picture. You changed colors over and over. Charley would drop the crayon back in the cup and you would help him get another color. You are our Valentine.

Lately you have been all about the snuggles, especially when you wake up from your nap. You need some time to wake up good. You whimper and fuss until I pick you up, and then everything becomes okay. You nuzzle your head into my neck and we curl up tight and watch whatever happens to be on Noggin. I kiss your cheeks over and over. You never seem to mind, and even offer them up for me to kiss some more. I wonder if I’ve kissed them a million times yet. I would tend to think yes.

I saw a report on the local news the other night. A little old couple was celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. He said “I love her more today than I did yesterday. And I’ll love her even more tomorrow that I did today.” How beautiful. And what a true way to describe children as well. I think about how I felt when you were born. Of course I loved you the moment I saw, and long before I saw you for that matter. But I think about how I love you now. I could not imagine missing a second of your life. It makes me breathless. And I know I will love you more tomorrow than I did today.