Audrey and Brock

Brock went through a phase of sticking his tounge out instead of smiling.

Finger Sucker

Men are that they might have joy

As I am trying to put Brock down for a nap I often get frustrated because he doesn't really like to sleep. And when he does sleep it usually isn't for very long. So I have a lot of things to do in a very short amount of time. So when he gets tired and fussy I am eager to get him down so I can take a shower, eat breakfast, clean the house, do homework, make dinner, work etc. So when he is not eager to go down, I easily get a little frazzled and just wish he would sleep for a few hours. When he finally falls asleep, I set him in his crib, and sneak out of the room. Twenty minutes later, still at the beginning of my checklist, I hear him screaming. I think to myself, "no, go back to sleep, I am not ready for you." I let him cry for a while, hoping he will fall back asleep. When it is apparent he is not going back to sleep, I go into his bedroom, a little bugged that I did not get my to do list accomplished, I peek over his crib railing and see this:



At that moment my heart is filled with absolute complete joy, and I think to myself, "Why have you been sleeping so long, I missed you so much!" He smiles at me, and my checklist fades away into the back of my mind, I pick up my son, and spend the next few hours singing songs, reading books, and desperately trying to make time stand still.

Every moment of frustration, sleepless night, bitten nipples, ruined shirt from spit-up or poo, every day I go to bed with a messy house, or dinner not made when Jason gets home... It is all worth it just for that one second that I peek over his crib railing and get that moment of utter joy, and I know what life is really all about.

I love being a mother and I am grateful to Heavenly Father for letting us have this experience.