The Magic of Motherhood

Tonight we lit candles and put them in the pumpkin we carved.  It was your first time doing this.  You and Josie thought it was pretty cool.  Then you ran inside and out the back door into the darkening, slightly chilly evening.  "Do you want to come play outside in the dark, Mommy?  It's so fun!  C'mon, Mommy!"  So I ran outside with you and Josie.  Josie kept laughing at her reflection as she shouted and made faces in the French door windows.

"Do you want to dance, Mom?  Twirl, Mom, twirl!"  So I twirled with you.  "Let's run Mom, c'mon, let's run fast!"  So I picked Josie up and we ran around the backyard, with Dirk chasing us and Josie laughing hysterically and you laughing and yelling, "I'm going to catch, you, Mom!"

Then we came inside and set up a lamp to shine against the wall.  We made shadow puppets.  A rooster, a bird, a swan.  I couldn't quite get the rabbit right.  Josie was crawling all over me, intent on figuring out what we were doing.  Then it was bath time.  You and Josie blew bubbles in the water, and you said, "Look, Mom, I'm swimming in the pool!  I'm swimming!"  I thought about how seriously cute both of your little baby butts are right now.  Then we cleaned ears and brushed teeth and put on pajamas and I asked you if you could quietly play by yourself while I put Josie to sleep.  "Oh yes, Mom."  You are getting so good at that.

I rocked and sang Josie to sleep.  I cuddled her and said a little prayer of thanks for her like I do whenever I put her to bed.  "Thank you Heavenly Father for my little Josie.  She makes people happy wherever she goes.  She brings such happiness to our home.  We love her so much."

I found you reading "Olivia Saves the Circus".  "What is she doing Mom?"

"Um, she's walking on stilts.  Sometimes people in circuses walk on these tall sticks and it makes them really tall."

"Why does she have that thing on her nose, Mom?"

"Because she's dressed up as a clown, and sometimes clowns wear those."

"Oh.  What's that, Mom?"

"A trampoline."

"What's that, Mom?"

"A trampoline."

"What's that, Mom?"

"Really, it's a trampoline.  Do you want me to read that book to you?"

"I want you to read two.  No, a bunch.  I want you to read a bunch."

So we read two and then your sweet dad is home, and he tickles you and reads scriptures and says prayers with you, and then, when you are definitely supposed to be asleep, I hear you yelling in your bed.

"What's wrong, Lily?"

"Mommy, Scout needs his diaper changed!  Will you change his diaper?"

"Ok.  Let me see him."

"I need a wipe for my eyes, Mom. I was crying."

"Ok.  Here's Scout."

"Thank you, Mommy."

"You're welcome.  I love you, Lily."

"I love you too, Mom."

Magic.