I read this article on thebettermom.com and wanted to share it with anyone who might need to read it.
http://www.thebettermom.com/blog/2015/3/20/uzx2dnl451yf2ahboe367hdlvct2s4
This past few weeks, I've been struck by just how much Joshua loves his daddy and I. We've been trying a few new things, like nursery in church and swim lessons, where mom or dad don't get to be with him all the time and his response lately has been to be more clingy, needy, and just all around worried about us leaving him.
Just tonight, he was upset if I so much as walked into another room. Talk about really feeling the love lately! ;)
While Joshua is obviously struggling to come to terms with the idea of being more independent, and what that really means, he's also becoming this incredibly intelligent little human being with a fun personality and all kinds of things to say, do, and show us.
I was sitting on the couch on Sunday afternoon, working on my talk for next week. Danny was upstairs taking a nap for himself. I had been contemplating taking one too.
It was only 2:33PM and Joshua had only been asleep for maybe and hour and fifteen minutes tops. Not exactly the greatest nap, and he certainly didn't sound happy as I listened to him for a few minutes.
A little irritated that he didn't sleep longer, I trudged up the stairs and did my best to put a smile on my face when I walked in the room to pick him up before he woke up his tired daddy. He was absolutely THRILLED to see me, "momma! momma!" being the main words spoken. His excitement was contagious so we smiled and played around together while I changed his stinky diaper.
We began the trip downstairs where we explored the rooms looking for, "dat!dat!" (Cat! Cat!) Both of whom were sleeping and displeased about being rudely awoken. Joshua went from one task to another, and I was hard pressed to keep up with what he wanted to do because his preference changed rapidly. Eventually, he settled down by the book case, and, thinking that he would amuse himself for a few quiet minutes so I could work more on my computer, I left him to it and moved back to sit on the couch.
Typing away at the keys, I was only at it for a few minutes when I heard a little patter of footsteps across our wood floors. The next thing I know, Joshua is right in front of me, pushing a board book about colors and shapes onto my keyboard.
At first, I paused what I was doing, kept the computer open, and quickly read through the book. He was pleased with this first rendition of the story and pattered away to the shelf.
A few minutes passed.
The feet sounded again and a new book was placed over my attempting-to-type hands.
I was tempted to sigh, to put on baby signing time, to ignore him.
But I don't have to make that choice.
My son wants ME. He wants his Dad. He wants our presence. Our full, undivided presence and attention. He doesn't want my mere presence in the room-though that has undoubtedly been helpful in times like nursery. He wants to play WITH me, to show me all the new discoveries he's making, to make new ones with me along side him.
So I put my computer away, shut the door, and turned to give him my full and undivided attention for the period of time that he wanted it. We played with letters, we read stories, I was a human jungle gym. And it was all so WORTH the time I spent just being down on his level and enjoying the simple activities (like opening and closing doors) that he so loves to do these days.
His lovely little red head rests on my chest nightly while we rock and sing primary songs. And when he shakes his head and says, "no! no! no!" in his funky raspy little voice, I hug him tight, lay him in bed and know that he just wants to play with me and daddy more. He's had a good day and now it's time for sleep so he can play again tomorrow.
So let's take a look in the mirror and see ourselves as our children see us shall we? Their visions of us are nothing but the best and most adoring.
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