Love is living the everyday moments.

It occurred to me a few days ago that I haven’t been sharing the air time here at the blog. I thought about it, and I frowned, and I tried to justify it, but here’s what I’ve come up with: one of my daughters is a blog-hog with all of her stories and revelations and new tricks and, my god, the quotes! My other daughter…well, she’s two. She is stubborn and hard-headed and full of tantrums and absent a voice; she’s hard to ignore, but so easily overlooked. I feel very badly about that. So I thought to myself: Self? I’m going to write my blog today about Bee. I will shine a light on her and show everyone was a dazzling, sweet little thing she is.

 

Then I felt worse because I couldn’t think of a single interesting Bee-story from this past week. Because she’s two! Two is potty training and screaming to “Play!, Play!” when I say it’s time for bed. Two is drinking from big girl cups and seeing how long you can run around naked before Mom catches you and puts a pull-up on. Two is pointing out objects you know and naming every blessed thing you see and asking “What happ’ned?” for the 80,000^th time. That is the life of Bee right now. She’s quiet because her big sister is loud, and she’s easy going because her big sister is dramatic and demands attention. Bee just is.

 

And, still, she makes my world spin around.

 

It’s just a little hard to show you how. Right now she’s the serene reflecting pool to Gracie’s breathtaking, crashing waves, but both girls keep me afloat. Bee’s quieter, harder to write about than her sister (how many times can you write about how last night your two-year-old played nicely with her sister, wet her pants, and then went to bed?), but even her quiet, uneventful stories keep me going each day.

 

There is one story. One story that will have to stand for all the other everyday moments too dull to interest anyone who wasn’t living those moments. At the end of each day, Bee and I read a story, brush her teeth, and I help her change into her pajamas. First we put on her bottoms, then I stand her up and change into her pajama top. And then, before I let her flip off the light switch (the most exciting moment of her day), she looks sweetly up at me through lowered lashes and I say, “Bee, guess what?” She smiles her shy little smile that makes me just want to scoop her up and smother with kisses. “I love you!” I say softly. Her face lights up and she smiles her happiest smile, “I uv yooooou!” she sings. Then she throws her chubby little arms around my neck and lays a gooey smackeroo right on my lips.

 

It’s just a small thing that we do, but right now, those few seconds are the ones I look forward to all day. It’s the one everyday moment that stands for all the others. You can’t always see the love, but it’s there waiting you for underneath all the unremarkable moments. Happy Love Thursday, everyone. May you all have a love that waits for you through all the tantrums, all the busy moments, and all the quiet ones. The love that loves you just the same through everything.

Advertisement

Tags: children, everyday moments, Life, Love Thursday, toddlers