Continuing On

The only two times we had snow this year were on Shane and then Judah's birthday. I can hardly believe we are towards the end of February and I am saying we had snow two times! What a strange yet wonderful winter. I can't say that I have minded the mild weather one bit. In fact the boys were out playing in bare feet, shorts and short sleeves on Sunday. They declared it was really warm!! I checked the weather and it was a balmy 37 degrees! I decided to bite my tongue and let them just be boys in the moment.

What does one do on a snowy birthday night when daddy has to work? Stage a fake fight of course. They had such fun pretending to fight while I took pictures.

This is one of my favorites! So funny.

I started taking pictures during this stage of Heidi's growing fashion sense. She insists on picking out her clothing most days and has her very own flare. She likes to wear skirts and dresses as much as possible.

Her favorite skirt to wear is this lime green polka-dot skirt! Fits her zany personality!

On this particular day she chose a pretty little dress, paired it with the lime green polka-dot skirt (see it peaking out) and then finished it off with a bow. She got the empty coffee carafe to use as a stool to get a better view out to the window.

I have heard people say to truly understand your child's world you should sometimes get down on your knees and look around since that is about the height that your child sees everything. It is a very different perspective for sure.

The other option is to give your nearly 3 year old the camera and have them take pictures. I love the little toes and the polka-dots in the corner. We do wash the skirt sometimes. I promise.

One of our kids favorite places in the living room is digging through the book basket and leading me to the couch to read. I truly love this picture!!

I thought this picture Heidi took was very artsy! The different textures were so neat. A very close up of a carved wooden coaster from Rwanda with a lamp base in the background.

Perspective: A view or vista. I am constantly amazed and reminded that how we view life depends so much on our experiences. And children are so very shapeable. It sobers me to think that their interaction with me daily shapes so much of their world view at this point. How I love, care, touch, speak, hold....shapes their little core. Does anyone else find this borderline frightening?

I have been doing some online adoption education and learning again the depths of how a child is formed through their early years is altogether amazing! We are so intrinsically created that every touch, movement or lack thereof impacts our growing and developing brains. Give your child(ren) touch often! Hold them close so they hear you breathing. Let them crawl in bed for those early morning snuggles. Speak their great value and worth in tiny whispers that only they can hear. I have an ongoing joke with Judah and Shane that they need to give me hugs until they are 80. They are nearing that slightly awkward stage that hugs aren't always welcome so we have made it light. I told them everyday that I see them until they are 80 they have to hug me! They laugh, hug me and then try to tackle me to the ground. It is their way of showing affection I guess.

Maybe I am a little more sensitive since my "baby" is almost three. But time seems to go wickedly fast!! Hug them close today! And bake some cookies for your kids to surprise them when they walk through the door after school. Unless you are that kind of mom everyday. Then I don't have anything to say to you.