Today I had a very profound thought as a mom. I spent some time thinking about the fact that I love all my children the same (aka more than life) but the specific things I love about them are VERY different.
Molly and I played several cat-and-mouse type games today. She would hold out a toy for me to take only to yank it back at the last second. Every time I say "Momma" to her she immediately responds with "Dadda!" She is my first to play such button-pushing games with me. Fortunately for now, none of this bothers me, I just find her perceptiveness fascinating.
This afternoon Jocelyn was struggling to fall asleep at naptime. She was lying on my bed, so after a while I went in, lay down next to her with my book, and read while resting my hand gently on top of her head. It took her all of 5 minutes to fall into a deep-breathing sleep. Jocelyn is my only child who sees companionship at naptime as soothing and not stimulating. I love having those opportunities to watch her sleep peacefully.
This evening Ava and I went to run a few errands, one of which was at Old Navy. While there she saw one or two dresses for ME. She looked at them, said "Mom, these are very beautiful, you should try them on," and I actually did. None of the dresses were winners, but I was reminded that my oldest child is not a baby girl anymore, and growing more mature by the day. We had real adult-child conversations, not the adult-baby or adult-toddler kind. She has an intelligent brain and enormous heart, and I couldn't be more proud of the young lady she is becoming.
How is it that I can have such completely different kids, and yet not love them in different ways? A mother's love is a mother's love, and it doesn't change according to a child's strengths or weaknesses, talents or drawbacks. As Valentine's Day approaches, I am reminded of what a mysterious and wonderful thing love is, and how blessed I am to experience it every day with such abundance.
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