"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."
-- Elizabeth Stone
It’s dark in the room, I lean over and somehow manage to plant a kiss right on her nose. I whisper, "Goodnight, I love you." I move back to my pillow and seconds later, right on my nose I feel her tiny lips followed by, "I love you, mom."
This is bedtime with my 2-year-old.
I love bedtime for many reasons. I’ll admit it’s the most peaceful, quiet time of the day. But it’s also a time for me to reflect on our day. The things I did right, the things I did wrong ... and there are plenty. Even more important is how I can do things better; not perfect, just better.
I want to make sure my children know they are loved, really loved.
I volunteer in my oldest daughter’s Kindergarten class once a week; before I go, I leave a post-it note inside her pencil box. Just a little love note, saying, "You are my sunshine; I love you to the moon and back."
She reminds me each week, "Mom, don’t forget to leave me a note." Last week when I opened the box, I noticed underneath all the pencils, crayons, eraser and glue stick, there was a pile stuck together of all the notes I’ve written all year.
My middle daughter Allie goes to preschool, where lunch is served. The first few months of school I had to pack her a lunch box, because her older sister carried one to school, so it was important to her to carry one, too. I knew it was important for her to feel "big" like her sister. I also knew it made her feel loved.
It’s just the little things we do that show our children how much we love them. Last week when I picked up my daughter from school, she exclaimed, "Mom, somebody put a mustard sandwich in my lunchbox!" She does not like mustard; my husband does, and he does not like mayonnaise. I accidentally mixed their lunches up.
I found it funny that "Somebody" did this, not "mom", because "mom" knows she does not like mustard!
Today, on Valentine’s Day, I will do some extra special things for my girls to show them I love them. Not because I don’t love them all year long, but because it’s a day when I get to go a little bit overboard. My children are my heart, broken into three pieces, walking around outside my body.
Michelle Walsh is a Menifee resident, a wife and mother of three young girls. She is a former teacher who enjoys running, exercise, sewing, gardening and socializing. Each week, she shares her experiences as a Menifee mom. Michelle welcomes your comments here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment