Family, Motherhood

The Beauty Behind Hearing Mama for the First Time

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“Mama”

One little phrase.

He said it as he was crawling into the kitchen this morning to find me. I stopped washing the dishes and walked over to him to pick him up.

“Say it again, Macks. Mama.”

He nuzzled his head in my shoulder as he always does when he just wants to be close. He didn’t say it again and I was okay with that. Once was all that I needed.

He did it, he finally did it.

We’ve been practicing this for months. Well, I’ve been practicing. I say it to him all the time. When he’s eating, while we are playing on the floor, when we are in the car…when he wants to talk, “mama” is somewhere in our conversation.

It’s such a simple phrase but one with so much meaning behind it. There are three little people in my house that call me “ma ma.” It was something that I dreamed about growing up. Having children of my own and knowing that I would be so lucky for them to call me their “mama.” A phrase that’s soley meant for just me. No matter how many times I hear it, I never get sick of it.

Macks has known all along, but for the first time since the day that he was born, I can look in his eyes and know that he will forever call me mama.

 

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Family, Motherhood

Things That Make Me Happy……….

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I leave tomorrow for a weekend away to celebrate my sister and her upcoming wedding! This week has been crazy trying to get everything prepared for my weekend away and meeting deadlines, so that’s why it’s been quiet around here.

Yesterday I had the idea for this post as I listened to Avery sing songs from the radio. It never fails to put a smile on my face. That’s when I realized that there are so many little things that happen throughout my day that do the same thing. I know that I’ll never remember them 10 years from now, so I wanted to make sure I wrote them down to have forever.

When I hear Avery in the car singing to the songs that she hears on the radio. Her current favorite is Heroes by Alesso. I love to hear her little voice sing the chorus. Puts a smile on my face every single time.

Watching Harlan make Macks laugh in the car when he’s upset from being in his car seat. It works every time.

When MacKay takes all of the kids downstairs on a Saturday morning just so I can get 15 more minutes of sleep.

Watching Har’s eagerness to learn. She wants to write and read everything in sight now and is so enthusiastic. There is never a day when she comes home from school and doesn’t tell me something that she learned that day.

Avery’s joy as she yells “I have school today!” every single morning. Even if she doesn’t have school that day.

Watching all three kids take a bath together. It’s one of those “oh my gosh it’s so cute” moments that I love.

Having my own washer and dryer. I loathe laundry, but I loathe it a little bit less knowing that I don’t have to schlep down five flights of stairs and wait for a washer or dryer to open up. 

Knowing that Macks is finally gaining weight!

Hearing the girls talking to each other at night after I put them to bed. 

Dream feeds with Macks when everyone else in the house is asleep. 

Making s’mores in our backyard firepit. 

The way Avery asks to go to the potty, “I have to go potty really bad.”  in her cute little voice.

Watching how excited the girls get when Macks does something new. 

When MacKay can give me a look while we are out and I know exactly what he’s thinking. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Family, Motherhood

Conversations with Har #3

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Now that Harlan is in school, our time alone together is few and far between. Over the summer we had at least an hour to ourselves in the afternoon while both Macks and Avery slept. We’d talk, play outside, and do whatever her heart desired with just the two of us. One of my favorite things to do with her was to just sit down and talk. She has a wild little imagination, that girl. One that loves to tell stories and ask questions.

Conversations with Har started out as a quiet lunch at the American Girl Cafe. It’s now one of my favorite series that I have on the blog.

These past few days Harlan has had early dismissal at school leaving the afternoon with just the two of us while the other two kids sleep. We sat and talked, she told me about her friends at school and of course how excited she is for Halloween tomorrow. I decided to ask her some questions just to see her response. I love that her answers give me a deeper understand of just who my Har is.

1. What is one thing you would like to learn how to do? 

Harlan: I would like to learn how our bodies grow.

My thoughts: I honestly wasn’t sure how she would answer something, but was sure it was going to be something girly like dancing or putting on make-up. Her answer made the science-geek side of me very happy. 

2. What do you love most about our family? 

Harlan: That they color with me.

My thoughts: This is what I love about kids. I’d think that she would have said some big thing that we do together, but she’s proving that it’s the little things that have the most impact. A great lesson for all of us.

3.  What are you most thankful for?

Harlan: I’m thankful that we all sit together as a family at the table.

My thoughts: We don’t do this as often as I’d like because our weekday schedules are crazy with MacKay’s commute, but we do make sure to do it on the weekend. I really love it, too. The coversations that we have at dinner are some of the best. I’m thankful too, Har. 

4.  What is the best thing about being 5-years-old?

Harlan: ::Her eyes lit up and she gave me a big smile when I asked this question.::  That I get to paint.

My thoughts: She loves being five-years-old because she thinks she’s so grown up. She painted when she was four, but clearly painting at five is a much bigger deal.

5. What has been the happiest day of your life?

Harlan: When I first got my Isabelle doll.

My thoughts: At first I was expecting her to say when Avery or Macks was born, but she went in the complete opposite direction. At first I was a little surprised at her answer but after some thought I can completely understand where she us coming from. Isabelle is her American Girl doll that she got for her birthday. I remember the first American Girl doll that I had when I was little – Kirsten. It was a big deal for me, just as it is for her.

6.  What is your favorite movie of all time? 

Harlan: My favorite movie is Frozen because Elsa strikes Anna.

My thoughts: This comes as no surprise because we’ve seen Frozen 3,493,849 times (at least it feels that way.) But what I found completely odd and still has me perplexed is the reason she gave for loving this movie so much. I’m hoping she just got some of the movie confused and really meant was that Elsa saved Anna. Yeah, that’s what she meant.

7. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Harlan: I want to be a Disney Princess. Aurora.

My thoughts: Of course you do. Why be a doctor when you can be Princess Aurora at Disney World?

8. Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?

Harlan: Fly because then I’ll see the whole world.

My thoughts: That sounds amazing. Please take me with you.

9. If you could go on a vacation anywhere, where would you go?

Harlan: I would go to Florida to go swimming.

My thoughts: That sounds lovely right about now. 

10. What is your favorite thing about mommy?

Harlan: ::giggles:: ::giggles:: That she takes me to school.

Me: That’s your favorite thing about me?

Harlan: Yeah. ::giggles::

My thoughts: Did you notice I tried to ask again to see if I’d get a different answer? Yeah, I was waiting for her to say my cuddles or my kisses. Or maybe the way that I sing her a song before bedtime. But I guess she just loves the way I drive so that I can drop her off for the day. Not so fast, Har. Not so fast.

 

 

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