I’m sure, like most of you, I tend to read the same collection of stories over and over each evening after bath time. We have a nice variety in the toddler library but unless it has wheels it won’t be making the reading rotation for a while. He favors stories about hero tractors, animal loving blue pick-ups, and ego blessed monster trucks. I begin each story knowing that by the time we reach the 2nd or 3rd page he will have usurped the book from my hands to continue “reading” and acting out the rest for me.
“I AM A MONSTER TRUCK!” W collapses back onto his bed with glee and then boings back to continue, “I smash! I bash!” His eyes shine from the light of his star lamp and I quietly sit in a chair in his room loving every moment of this. He begins to explain the action on the page and points out all of his favorite vehicles. “It’s a school bus, Mama. RIGHT THERE!” “I’m going around and around and around!”
I was on a call with some people from Hallmark recently (I’m going to be doing some writing for them this year.) and we talked about these sort of moments – the in-betweens. We talked about how so many of us focus on the milestones of life, you know the big stuff like birthdays or firsts, but there are these amazing in between moments we all have with our family (and friends) that are just as huge. One of their campaigns, and the one that I will be working on, is about how “life is a special occasion“.
I was pretty good at chronicling simple moments with Millie because I knew they were fleeting. I would tell myself as I opened the curtains to her room each morning, “take in every moment of this day”. When you hear the ticking clock counting out the rhythm of every hour with a loved one that is dying you grab on to things because you are taking inventory of a life. When there are just weeks or months to go you can’t wait for the next holiday to celebrate – you have to rejoice that you made it to noon.
It’s something that I’m thinking about now. When W does something or says something I’m reminding myself THIS is just as special to remember and document as a holiday. I realize that I haven’t been taking as many photographs of him with my camera as I should. I have a good collection of cell phone photos – but for whatever reason I’ve put my real camera away and have been saving it for a special occasion. What am I waiting for? Why is his inventory any less precious?
This weekend we were having breakfast and W started telling a funny story. I popped up and grabbed my camera. I took a couple of photos and then looked at them in the LCD screen and gasped. When had he gotten so big? So beautiful? So silly? I was missing it because I was waiting.
I’m not saying that I think every moment with W should be savored. I can think of plenty of tantrums and meltdowns that I would love to tape over. But I like the idea of nudging myself to embrace more of these in-betweens. Remember to remember that he is a monster truck and a boy who tells funny stories at breakfast.
What’s the in-between that happened in your life today? I want to celebrate it with you.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, I haven’t gotten out of bed yet, so I’ll have to get back to you. I did have a middle of the night cuddle with someone who was afraid of “THE BIRD, AAAAHH THE BIRD” at 4am. I don’t mind the occasional wake ups when she goes right back to sleep afterward.
awwww. I do love a good cuddle. Not at 4am.
First of all…WHO IS THAT MAN in your pictures?
Secondly, I don’t know if its age or just me becoming more aware but I’ve been looking at my daughter and just marveling over the young lady she is becoming. Last night as I rushed around getting the dished done she sat in the kitchen with me and read a book and I just thought that was such a nice moment together.
You’ve inspired a post!
-r
Your daughter is so amazing and awesome! I can’t wait to have a book moment like that with W.
My daily moment with my sister-friend. We exchange emails every morning, and I always look forward to it. And this morning I realised I could be the first one to email her, so I did. And it was lovely, as talking with her always is.
I love that. Love that you start every day with that strong connection. It’s powerful stuff.
You are SO right. We always talk about the milestones but it’s the little things, those precious everyday moments that make up the fabric of our days. I don’t celebrate them enough.
I am celebrating getting another cup of coffee RIGHT NOW!!
Yep. Well put. Those Perfect Moments are all around us. It’s amazing to me how chronicling the perfect moments helps me remember them and I get to have those Perfect Moments all over again.
Love your photos. .. of Millie and W.
oh I bet that is a treat to relive all of the moments!
I parked in the office parking garage in California’s San Fernando valley, as I do every day, but this morning, the morning after an intense rainstorm, in the early morning light, the air was crystal clear and the mountains were literally majestic, in stark contrast against the steely clouds — bringing to life the lyrics “purple mountain majesties.” That was the moment that stood out for me so far today!
wow. seriously
So so so true! I took pictures of my first ALL THE TIME and my my little girl….well I need to celebrate her just as much. Thank goodness for my iPhone and Instagram!
I’ve stopped taking as many photos of my girl too. We do a bit more video, though, when she is doing some goofy dance or performing Do-Re-Mi. I still write down the amusing things she says though. The other day, we were sitting at the kitchen table, when a horn honked outside (we live on a very quiet cul-de-sac. It was unusual). My girl says, in a very irritated voice “We can’t move our HOUSE, Mister…or Missy.” I almost fell out of my chair laughing – she got the intonation just perfect.
The other morning at the kitchen counter my husband and I were both checking emails on our laptops while having our coffee. One by one our boys came down and climbed in our laps with their ipods. I know sometimes we live in a too wired world, but it really was so darn sweet.
my camera rule-of-thumb: take at least one photograph with my ‘good’ camera (Canon DSLR that I LOVE) a week. Not necessarily of just the ‘big moments’ (although there are a lot of those pictures too). But he’s sitting at the table, behind the hand-me-down laptop grandpa gave him .. or another picture of him holding a fabulous Lego creation and smilling (toddler truck love blossoms into Lego car creation). Or riding his bike, or on his swing set, or his scooter. Or we go to the Conservatory – posed photo in front of the red ponsettias we are there to see. He always sighs and acts like he’s put out about me taking all these photos … but I think he secretly loves them all. I can honestly say that my almost 7 year old son has at least one photograph of himself for every week of his life. Not every day. That seemed a bit crazy. But then I’m a photo person.
My moment today? Driving him to school (which is actually a rare treat that I get to indulge in for the next 3 weeks – normally grandma does it) and he is reading in the back seat. ‘Mom, what does s-u-g-a-r spell? What does b-u-r-l-i-n-g-t-o-n spell? what does b-i-l-l-i-o-n spell?’ and knowing that maybe this time he will probably remember what those words are for the next reading.
I have tons and tons of photos of my oldest, and I took tons of the other kids when they were little. Now, it’s all about James, my youngest. I need to take more pictures of Matt, my oldest, before he leaves for college in 3.5 years.
I had planned on taking a picture each day for 365 days this year, and then stopped after the second day. I think I need to challenge myself to do it. Maybe if I did one kid each day?
Today’s been a rough day because the younger two don’t feel good and I’m not 100% either. However, that special little moment happened when I picked Marty up from school. He asked me if we could stop at the store so he could buy a drink. Then, he offered to buy me one. That’s right…my 14 yr old, with no prompting from me at all, bought me a drink with his money.
My Moment recently was my daughter’s excitement about her new petticoat skirt. She told me it was swirling around her legs like the clouds swirl around the tree tops. I love her views of the world, she is so descriptive right now, my job is just to try and write some of it down so I don’t forget.
Tamale was washing her hands this morning before school (i.e., playing in the water) and Burrito kept trying to interrupt her so that he could share his baby doll with her.
Soo much of that with my girl too. She’s 9 1/2 (!!), and suddenly looks BIG. And we have regular person conversations with her these days. At dinner last night she looked at her plateful of salmon and quinoa salad and said “I haven’t missed quinoa at ALL.” It cracked me up. Her sense of humour cracks me up at unexpected moments. And also all the moments of her singing operatic scripts of her own devising, in the bathroom.
Ooh I really like this post!
I’ll catch little glimpses of my kids and sometimes it just stops my heart. WHEN did they change? When did they grow up so much? When did my daughter stop rolling her r’s? (sigh)
Monster trucks, rock
I absolutely adore “those little moments!” Would you believe, raising 3 teens and 1 tween, they STILL exist (thank goodness!) Oh…look…is that a waffle he’s chomping on?!? Great, now I’m hungry.
This is such a special post and your baby boy is as handsome as they come!
Today, as Tot pulled the covers of my bed up to his chin to watch “Thomas Train TB PEEze” he requested “cover up ME”. I adore his inflection and mixed wording. I wish I could bottle up these moments. I, too, was compelled to break out the too seldom used ‘real’ camera to document his tiny head on my pillow.
My itty bitty baby turned six years old on the 19th of this month. I can’t believe it. I was diagnosed with cancer while pregnant with my son, and the one thing I have learn to treasure the most is the way I choose to love in spite of whatever I have to face. I knew I wanted to fight cancer but each passing day I share with him I want to live that much more and fight even harder. As my sweet son says, “neva give up Momma.” I ought to record it and play it back when I am sad or down. Thanks for reminding me to treasure my moments and be thankful for right where I am at no matter what.
Every time I hang out with my nephew I catalogue the moment, or try to, anyway. Even just Face Timing with him is something to remember. The other day while trying to have a conversation with my sister (due at any moment), I asked “How are you feeling?” “Well, I’m fine!” he chirped from the chair, and I leaned in close to the computer. “I wasn’t asking you, Chicken Nugget, I was asking Mommy.” He didn’t seem to care, and I just laughed. It’s simple, little moments like that I absolutely love and hold on to. And when the new little peapod arrives, well, holy heck, my brain is just going to go into overload and my big camera is going to get a workout. They’re so much easier to photograph when all they do is lay there. Heh.
Hello Dresden. I got to visit your site through the Hallmark Badge . But when I read this post on ” Little Moments,” and how you took care of your Grandma through her illness yet still being a mother to your son, and trying to capture them both in film and in paper, tears suddenly dwelled in my eyes , wiping them instantly, less they fall
Now I know the reason why I had never fallen out of love of Hallmark greeting cards.
Happy Easter !