While they are sleeping...

[This post was written in early August, but for some reason I never published it... pregnancy brain, mayhaps? Anyway, I added a picture for good measure and am pushing "publish."]

The Masked Duo

I’ve been noticing recently - on the handful of occasions when I’ve had to wake up a child in the morning or after nap time - that Luke and Sarah both look so much like their “baby selves” when they are sleeping. Luke still scrunches his face and stretches his arms above his head, just like he did as a newborn, and Sarah’s face softens in a way that reminds me so much of her chubby baby days. This discovery was unbelievably delightful to me, to tell you the truth, because what I’m typically noticing these days about those two is how much they have grown - and how much they look like “big kids” rather than babies or even preschoolers. Sarah has gotten so much taller, her long legs stretching out of every single dress I bought her for this summer, and Luke looks more like his dad than ever before - not just because of his own increasing height and lankiness, but also because he has a certain look in his face these days that lets you know that his mind is no longer that of a child; deep thoughts and emotions are processing behind those intelligent blue eyes. 

Although my mama’s heart will always miss those sweet babies they once were, I am so proud of the big kids they are coming. This summer, Luke and Sarah have learned to take more responsibility around the house, cleaning up their own room, making their own beds (sort of), putting away their own dishes, and even occasionally remembering to close the garage door behind them! They have learned to play together without too much squabbling, and they have learned to cherish the time when they get to play with other friends or cousins. They have gotten really good at showing respect for their elders (unless that elder is me, and then sometimes they struggle), and they have been incredibly flexible about traveling (or not) throughout the summer, changing routines, and anticipating the addition of a new sibling in a few months. They have a long way to go before reaching perfection, but then again, if there’s one thing I hope that I’m teaching in the midst of all of this, it is that perfection is not the goal - and that while I am so proud of their obedience and good behavior, I love them all the same when they are rotten stinkers!