I Love Slow Mornings...

I love slow mornings. This is what they look like here: when Pip woke up this morning, I brought her into bed with me and we cuddled while she drank her bottle and I closed my eyes for a few more minutes. Daddy had already left for work, or he would be in on the fun. When she had enough, she ditched the bottle, rolled over, and started crawling over me and playing. I reached for my phone and turned on a little 'He Is We' radio on Pandora while we played in bed. She likes to hold my phone and look at it, and of course she dropped it on her head a few times. She has started to act more like a little person, rolling  and laying down when she feels like it and however may be comfortable.

Then when she needed a change of scenery, we went into the kitchen and she sat in her high chair and had her fill of cheerios. She watched me as I feed the dogs and made my morning shake. Then I sat down with her and shared my shake, feeding her with a spoon. She thinks that she is big enough to feed herself, so I let her grab the spoon and direct it to her mouth. Then she plays with her spoon and she'll give it back to me when she wants another bite. She's so smart. She's also learned how to hold food out and feed me recently, so we fed each other cheerios which makes her smile and laugh. I love how I can make her laugh now just with funny faces or smiling big at her!

We fed the doggies some cheerios (as usual) and then danced around the kitchen a bit, looking out the window to the backyard. After a couple diaper changes, she is now playing in the living room with her books and in her inflatable pool. Yes, it is in the middle of the living room because she loves climbing in and out of it with her toys, and with a baby you don't always have a tidy house.

These are the mornings that I cherish. Of course I have things to do- make the bed, laundry, put dishes away, run errands, work out, shower... but we have been so busy over the last couple of weeks with vacations and planning REZ Week (youth camp), that I realized I haven't been giving my baby the undivided attention that she wants and needs. I will always have something more to do- but I want my little girl to remember playing in bed, feeding me cheerios, and laughing at funny faces. I don't want her to ever feel like Mommy was too busy for her. I also know that when we decide to expand our family, these precious moments will be shared with other needy kids, so I love just focusing on my one little bundle right now. I don't want to miss anything.

I also know that life isn't always like this. It isn't always slow and wonderful. It can be messy and hectic, so in no way am I advertising a perfect life. But every once in awhile, you do have that perfect morning. And I think today was it.

I hope that you can find time to have slow mornings every once in awhile. They're good for the soul. They clear your mind, re-align your priorities, and refresh your spirit. Take a few moments for you- whether that means spending them alone, with your babies, or with another loved one, to just 'BE'.

I needed this this morning. So while my laundry waits, my hair needs washing, and there is more to do, I am going to spend some time playing on the floor with my 10-month-old. This fills both of our love tanks, and builds security for her. She'll have to nap soon- so everything can wait to be done while she slumbers.

Happy Monday Morning.