Sweet Spot

The other morning Austin and I snuggled in my big bed, he cozied up to me and it reminded me of  how much I love being a mom.  I've tried to soak up the good in every stage of parenting, newborn soft skin and fresh out of the bath snuggles, toddler funny moments and leaving behind training wheels.  Being a stay at home mom is such a blessing to me and I truly love my simple life, devoted to the most important people in my world.

As much as I've tried to embrace and love every stage of parenting, I've felt for awhile that right now we are in a SWEET SPOT!  I may be completely wrong, but I really feel that someday when my kids are all grown and gone I'll look back and long for this stage over all the rest.

Linsey, my oldest is 13.  She is very capable and more than willing to babysit any day, any time and does it without pay.   She will fix dinner and does a pretty good job of cleaning up when she is done.  After paying babysitters for years, this has been such a treat!  Being 13 means that her social world hasn't completely taken over and while she has plenty of great friends and fun things to do, she is also happy to be at home and is usually available whenever we need her.  The word teenager makes me feel slightly old, but I love that she and I can talk about adult things, and that she will talk to me about her day and things that are really going on and are important to her.  I love that she is teachable and that she wants to hear my advice.  She's responsible with her school work and I don't have to spend too much time worrying over anything with her.  We are alike in a lot of ways and I just love being around her.

Hunter is 11.  He's a good kid and I really enjoy watching him play all sports.  Here he is just getting ready to head off to football practice.  The other day he and I were together and I saw someone I knew walking through the parking lot.  I said to him something about how I thought she was so pretty and he responded by saying, "I don't know why you think she is so pretty mom, you are way prettier than her."  Not true, but coming from him that was incredibly sweet!  I love Hunter's personality. He's a thoughtful, fun kid.  He always watches out for other people and notices someone who is left out or may be sad - and then he reaches out to them.  I love that he goes after things that are hard, and that he is willing to take a risk.  He puts himself out there when most people wouldn't.  I love that he has decided to run for Vice President at his new school, even though hardly anyone knows him.  Who cares if he wins... Way to go!

And then there is Emma, 8 years old.  She has always been the peace maker in our family.  Everyone who knows Emma loves her.  All of her little cousins adore her, she has lots of great friends, and she plays well with anyone and everyone.  I love her imagination.  She can make a game out of anything. She makes her bed in the mornings and often sets up a scene with her stuffed animals - every time I walk by her room it makes me smile.  While I do her hair in the mornings she sets out little bottles and make up tubes from my top drawer and plays with them.  They are arranged into moms and dads and little babies as she moves them around like they are a family.  She is so quick to smile and brightens up a room just by walking in.

Austin is my baby.   I've decided that 4 is the best age.  No more diapers, or restless nights and we are long past potty training.  He can get his own breakfast, get dressed, make his bed and clean up his toys. He is still small and fits into my lap and willingly gives hugs and kisses.  Whenever I catch his eye he gives me a huge smile.  He's also figured out that when he raises his eyebrows up and down it melts the hearts of anyone and everyone - and he milks that for all it's worth.  Austin says the funniest things everyday.  He's young and innocent, but has the ability to describe what he thinks and feels with a big kid vocabulary and its just plain hilarious sometimes.  Austin is 4 years younger than Emma so I've really gotten to enjoy him one on one a lot these last few years.  He's my buddy and I really love our days together.  He loves to be out and about and has always been easy to run errands with.  He'll even go to lunch and quietly play or hang out while I visit with my girlfriends for hours sometimes.  It's kind of amazing- none of my other kids would have put up with that.   He also considers that all of my grown up girl friends are also his friends.  It might go both ways, he's pretty easy to love.


I feel like each of my kids are in a great stage.  I say we are in a sweet spot because I still have a little one, but he's independent enough that he can keep up with the faster pace of our busy life and while my oldest is able to and willing to babysit, her social world hasn't taken over like I know it probably will once she hits high school.    We can still all be happy watching the same movies or TV shows and even my big kids will still get down and play with the younger kids.  I don't have to worry about dating and driving or any of those really big worries that comes with the teenage world quite yet and mostly, I just love that in this stage they are all snuggled up in there beds safe and in my care each night.  I know that there will be a day where they are all grown up and off to college or on missions or married - Yikes, and I will long for the time where I had them all at home.  I look forward to many things down the road, but I am in no way rushing today because for right now, I'm really enjoying how wonderful this sweet spot really is.




***  That other morning when Austin and I were snuggling in my bed I said to him,
"Can you please, please, please stay little forever?"
He said, "Mom, can you please, please, please stay HUGE forever?"