Things I Missed...

Since I've now taken my first vacation, and have been away from my kids longer than 24 hours, I can now recognize those little things that I've (dare I say it) taken for granted, and didn't realize I would miss so much. Miss in the sense that I longed for and wanted. For instance:

1. The way Maverick demands his Ba-Ba (sippy cup filled with milk) at any given moment and expects speedy service once demand has been made. And when I do make my movement toward the milk carton in the fridge, he runs to the couch and readies himself to receive the cold spill-proof beverage, by positioning himself in the couch pillows, practically preparing each one with perfect indentations in which to cushion his little two year body with cozy warmth and a nay-nay (blanket) spread carefully on his lap.

2. The way Aubrey offers to brush my hair as an attempt to buy more time with me in the evenings thus delaying her bedtime. She knows that I practically salivate at the suggestion and that it lulls me into relaxation. It's a chore that I admit I offer to pay her for as I could spend many-a-dollar on this luxury. It's worth every penny. We get to talk about 'girl things' without the distraction of her brothers and I get to find out what her mind is cogitating. I think that I'll look back at these times as ones where we actually talked and laughed about things that mattered.

3. The way Walker cracks a joke and then looks at me with eyes wide open, waiting for my reaction. Or the way that when he says something 'serious' he cocks his head to the side and sneers his upper lip then shakes his head with a self-assuring nod.

4. The way that Ainsley looks at me from her crib when she first wakes up and still has those sleepy eyes. It's amazing how she can look so happy and so tired at the same time. And less I forget, her kick count is incredible at 6 0'clock in the morning.