Enjoying every moment

I feel blessed to have two boys that are seven years apart. My oldest boy is going to be eight in a few months and my youngest is going to be one in a few months too. There is something special about having time to see the first one grow into a smart young man and actually to see how quickly they do grow. I don't know where the time has gone but It has flown by. It is bittersweet because in a way It makes me sad that he is already eight and on the other hand I feel blessed to get a reality check on the importance of time and enjoying every moment before it is gone. It is also a blessing to know that my second child will be my last child and I can truly savor everyday with him. I can make sure to be present in every moment of both of their lives.

The way the years are spread out between them has also allowed me to do things better than I did the first time. I feel like I have always been a good mother to my firstborn but when we grow and mature, we can almost always look back and see thing we could have handled a little differently. I could have been more patient and less irritable with my eight year old. I could have been less lazy and more present for every moment. Regardless, I did my best and I love him more than words can describe and I know he feels the same for me. I know he is an intelligent, creative and loving child and there is no reason to dwell on the past. I have grown as a mother and I learn as I go, as we all do.

As I have grown as a mother and woman I can go forward everyday with the lessons that life and my children teach me and implement them on a daily basis. I practice more patience with them. I try to remember what it is like to be a kid and I know now that in the big picture the only thing that matters in the end is being there for them and being supportive of them no matter what. I can be present in every moment and take my time to really take it all in and love on them. When you give a child your attention it makes them feel important and necessary and they are more likely to respect you in return, as well as others. I no longer yell at my children as I may have been more likely to do when I was in my early twenties and my first one was only a toddler. I hate being yelled at. It is degrading and never solves anything. If you want to make a hostile situation better, you don't respond with hostility. You respond with a calm and peaceful demeanor. Same goes with kids. They mirror your behaviors. As they say, "you get more bees with honey".  I now can see how much more beneficial a calm and peaceful momma can defuse a situation much more quickly than an impatient yelling mommy. And another benefit is that I get the same respect. 

I take the time to love on my children everyday and listen to them. Respect them. Kiss them. Hug them. Smell them. Squeeze them. Most importantly, I try my hardest to be present for every moment. It is a gift to be blessed with babies. There are a lot of people out there who can't have kids and who would give anything to be a parent. I think it is easy to forget just how special it is to have the opportunity to be a parent and it is easy to take it for granted. I don't want to look back on my life and wonder where I was the whole time. I may have been there but not truly present at every moment.

Make every moment with your children count. It goes by so fast and we all know the older you get the faster it goes. This life is a gift. A journey. A beautiful moment at a time that makes up your legacy. Enjoy the little things. Leave your children with sweet memories and a great example.

Blessings