He runs to me. He a six year old full of energy and excitement. He seizes my hand and swings my arm. His enthusiasm makes me smile. He squeezes my hand. One squeeze, Two Squeezes, Three Squeezes, and then Four. He says, "Do you know what I said?" I smile knowingly and say, "No, what?" He says, "I said, 'I love you most.'" So, I squeeze his hands back, four squeezes. Sometimes I'm saying "I love you, too" but other times, I kid, "I love you more." We are addicted to this game.
He grabs my hand and pulls just me just a bit. "Hey, Momma, can I show you something?" He takes me and shares a discovery or shows off an accomplishment. Other times, he quietly takes my hand and then begins to talk, "Momma,..." It's as if when he has my hand, he knows he touches me deeply. He knows he has harnessed my attention. I listen. I savor the moment. I know that at 8, he won't want to hold my hand in public much longer.
I walk up to him and touch him gently as he is reading. Depending on how he is sitting or laying, I rub my hand over his hand or gently on his back. He looks up, smiles slightly and says, "What?" I say, "Oh, I just want to tell you I love you." At 10, he will hug enthusiastically when I ask for a hug. He enjoys my affection but I usually instigate most of it. That's okay. His expressions tell me everything. I don't stop reaching out to him.
~ ~ ~ ~
Moments like these, fill my mothering heart with joy.
I am thankful.
This is my Thursday Thanks Tank.
8 comments:
Simply beautiful.
Jane Anne these are the things that when your children are grown they will treasure. The simple but biggest thing you could do for them ( love them unconditionally). And you do it so wonderfully. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Jane Anne, I don't usually come to your blog but this time I did and was not planning on wiping small tears from my eyes but I did,
and just wanted to say "simply and beautifully said". These are things that are on a daily basis and sometimes taken for granted. Ya know squeeze of a small hand or even a smile!
Ahhh...so sweet....they sure grow up fast and then have their own family...savor every moment...and document...sweet stuff.
Everybody already said what I want to say. Beautiful! Aww, so sweet! What a special peek into your heart!
For me, this is such a sweet reminder to cherish every. single. time. that my "littles" want to snuggle. J doesn't do this so much anymore. I guess he's growing up. They sure aren't "littles" for very long!
Those are the sweetest moments of motherhood.
Enjoy the love, Jane Anne.
What a precious snapshot of your life! What a joy to have so much of their childhood ahead of you instead of behind you.
You're right, never stop hugging your kids. I have a post on my blog called "Mom's Please Don't Stop Hugging Your Kids."
Here's something I wrote in it: "And as he got older, I thought that maybe he wouldn’t like to cuddle, or be kissed or held because he might think he was “to old” for it, and gradually without even really realizing it, I stopped doing it…and then one day he was fourteen, and suddenly I realized, that my “young man” was really, still a child."
I always kissed and hugged him goodnight but didn't not grab him for a kiss or a hug like I did his younger brother because I thought he wouldn't like it.
So when he was 14 I began to give him hugs and kisses on his cheek again, just like his little brother. And although a little puzzled at first, he didn't resist.
Now they're 18 and 22 and I still give them a hug or kiss on the cheek when I feel like it! (and they do too, lol!)
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