happy birthday to me!

For my birthday, D fixed breakfast, let me nap and cleaned the kitchen and generally was the perfect husband.  It's a good thing I like football, though, otherwise birthdays in December would be MUCH more difficult.

I decided that as my gift to me, I would be more present with the kids.  I wouldn't let my brain wander to the 25 things that I need to get done to make it through the day (pack the diaper bag, change Sylvia's clothes AGAIN because of the blueberry mess, then while they nap I can..., then after the nap, quickly feed milk, load the car, rinse the dishes, move the laundry to the dryer, we're almost out of milk...).  Yes, that's a little like what's going through my brain most always.  But not today.  Today, I sat with Sylvia in my lap while pokey worked on his breakfast (his mom was also always the last to leave the dining table).  And while she sat there, I enjoyed her.  I took in the scent of her hair--the few tufts she has.  I burned in my memory the feel of her skin as I caressed her arm and wiggled her toes.  I studied the look in her eyes as she drank up my description of the pictures in the book we were reading.  And it was wonderful.  And I did the same with Rafa.  I nuzzled my face against his hair and let the joy of being with my child overcome any thoughts of anything else.  I held him a little longer rather than wiping those crumbs off the countertop.  Dressing him wasn't a quick task to be done to get out the door, but an opportunity to interact with him to name body parts and experiment with Velcro. 

I know I won't be able to do this all the time every day.  But I will do this a little bit every day.  That's my promise to myself.  Happy birthday to me!