So...A Quiet Afternoon

Second Daughter came home from school yesterday and found Third Daughter and I upstairs watching Cinderella 2 on my bed.  Son was waking up from his morning nap.  I got him up, changed his diaper, and brought him in my bedroom to be with us.  He was all smiles.  And crazy nap hair.  I closed the door behind us so he could crawl around freely and I could stay busy cuddling with Second Daughter while finishing up the movie.  She needs daily snuggle time with me and I don't mind at all.

 

I snuck downstairs to finish unloading groceries from our shopping trip earlier.  The girls came in one by one to get their "snack" lunch - no real meal, just a series of snacks.  They love when I let them do that.  I piddled around the kitchen putting things away while listening to Christmas tunes.  Son kept me company in his high chair snacking on Cheerios and string cheese.

 

After the girls were done with the movie and needed a refill on their munchies, they made their way back into the kitchen.  They magically turned into kitties and finished their lunch huddled under the kitchen table with their bowls.  After eating, of course they needed a nap, so they made kitty beds under the table with the family room pillows.  Son crawled his way over to see what they were up to.  He was immediately adopted into their family and became their baby kitty.

 

2:00 rolled around which is nap time around here.  Son was ready, so I changed him again and lied him down with a bottle.  He snuggled up with his blanket and his eyes soon got heavy.  I kissed his soft cheeks and bid him goodnight while closing his door softly on my way out. 

Third Daughter grabbed her blankie and hopped in her bed for three Christmas stories before sleep.  We read together, with her filling in the parts to the story that she knew.  She loves to "read."  When the books were done, she asked, "Can you sleep with me for a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, LONG time?" like she does every day at nap time.  I smiled, kissed her nose, and said I'd love to.

When I was sure she was asleep, I snuck out of her room to find Second Daughter.  I found her in the backyard clipping weeds and leaves to fill a vase.  She placed her arrangement on the kitchen table for us all to enjoy.  Soon after, she asked to play on the computer, which I agreed to while I put dishes in the dishwasher.  Not too long after that, I received a text from a neighbor inviting Second Daughter to come over to play for an hour or so.  She was ecstatic.

She hopped on her bike and rode off around the corner while I waved.  The house felt very quiet.  It was.  I looked at the laundry that needed to be folded.  I noticed the carpets that needed to be vacuumed.  I chose to sit down in my living room, with my book, and enjoy the quiet afternoon.  It was a gift not to be wasted.

I read a chapter in my book.  I worked on a blanket that I am knitting.  I put everything down and closed my eyes for a few minutes and enjoyed the silence.  It was wonderful.

 

45 minutes later the bus pulled up and First Daughter came through the door.  She grabbed a bowl of goldfish and joined me in the living room to do her homework.  It was a wonderful time with her.  She told me about her day, asked me questions about her math homework, and I marvelled at my grown up baby girl.  Doing math. 

Life is crazy busy.  It is.  Four kids definitely don't leave much down time.  But there are times, days even, when the rhythm of our life actually feels calm.  There are miraculous moments when all is peaceful around here and the house is actually quiet.  I never want to get so caught up in the crazy that I no longer can recognize the beautiful.  It would be such a shame to miss out on all this good.

Life really is beautiful being mama to these four precious children of ours.
And I am so thankful for those moments when I can breathe it all in and enjoy.



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