Meaningful Moments...
Well, we are one month away from E's 3rd Birthday. I found myself thinking about this the other day, and realizing that we will not get these years back. I searched for memories of our early time together and found some real gems. Lately though, I have found myself wondering if I will remember the LITTLE moments, the quiet moments spent just chit chatting while looking at the clouds, or the times that she says something that makes me laugh out loud. Will these moments get lost in the memories of the "Bigger" moments? The birthdays, Halloweens, Christmases, First Days of School, Dance recitals etc? How can I preserve these smaller, but no less meaningful moments of motherhood?
Well, the solution I came up with is to buy a "meaningful moments" book (I love journals and I know I will have fun choosing just the right one!)- and from now on, when we share a moment, whether it's funny, sad, tender or loving, I will write it down and date it. I know that someday, when these early years seem like a distant memory, I will treasure this book as a way to relive those little moments from long ago... I would love to hear other ideas as well!
Thanks for reading...
3 comments:
j you are always thinking it is a great thing to do as i always thought i would remember every thing the boys did to make me laugh or cry and some i have not been able to remember(another senior moment)Have a god school year .J we are so proud of your big girl /keep up the good work Ellie.Love Nana and Papa
Hi Johanna,
I completely agree with you about time going by too fast. I wish I could bottle my son each day for when he is grown so I could still smell his sweet baby scent...sad just thinking of that day, and he's only one!
I have journaled since I was a pre-teen, almost every day. When I was pregnant, I kept a pregnancy journal and when I had my son, I changed the format of my journals. I decided to keep a journal of daily letters to my infant son.
Minus a few days this year (exhausted mommy) I have written to my son each night before I turn off the lights to tell him how he amazed me that day. I tell him about the way he smells, the way he looks out the window and I can't help but to wonder what he's thinking about. When he whispers "whas' that?" or he 'barks' every time a dog walks by. When he was so small and fragile and I couldn't stop sniffing his head and body because I've never smelled anything so sweet before. How he would hold my finger at 2am while drinking his bottle and I could just see his silouette in from the nightlight and he would stare back at me. It is moments like that that I don't want to ever forget-not to be overrun with new memories of walking, running, talking, messy houses, and bruised knees. I want to remember it all.
When my son is older, I want him to read these letters of love and truely know how he changed my life, how he gave me life and how I can't even believe I was ever happy before he was born.
Besides journaling, I also photograph him almost daily (helps being a photographer!)-I already have 8 albums full of just him! I paint his hands and feet and then stamp them on paper and save them (I also do this on every card I send out for holidays). I keep business cards, brochures and ticket stubs from everything we do (kept in photo album alongside the photos of the day). We have put his feet & hands in cement too.
It is so important for me to remember his childhood, but mostly, I do it for him. I want him to know everything he can about his childhood.
(hope this isn't too long!)
Your idea of writing down the little things that we'll always want to remember has inspired me to pick up a journal and do the same. Especially now that Jack is 5 years old and in kindergarten it's just a reminder of how fast time flies and the things he did when he was 2 seems so far away. It would be a shame to forget them.
So thank you for your post and inspiration!
joyce
Post a Comment