Well, as a Mom to two wonderful kids, how can I not occasionally gloat a little....maybe a lot? The one I want to gush about today is my little Hannah (Taylor will be next in the near future). She is so hot and cold, so independent and has a very FIERY temper, yet underneath that sometimes hard-to-take exterior is the heart of a little girl that enjoys giving and doing for others-especially Mommy and Daddy.

Yesterday as we were out running errands and shopping she said she really wanted to give Daddy and I a present because she loves us so much, and could we please just go back home to get her wallet and get her allowance? I told her that was so thoughtful, but that was something we would have to plan for.

Well, she REALLY wanted to do it, so later that day I took her to the dollar store where she took her own little bag so I couldn't see anything in it and purchased some candy. She then took it home and worked on a treasure hunt for us (she really loves it when I do treasure hunts). She wrote on pieces of paper and hid them and then read us our clues, and at the end we enjoyed mini-snickers and marshmallow eggs. She really wanted to get herself something at the store but decided to spend her whole $3 on us!

She is really creative and loves to gather up our favorite things around the house: lotions, books, etc and package them and have us open them.

Everyday she makes a new picture or several-she is very artistic, or cuts us out bookmarks: here are some of them, along with her LOVEBUG she made for me in class.
She also loves to make snacks and put them on her Barbie tray and then serve us.

This morning, she puts notes on Mike and I's chairs while I was making breakfast.
It says "I LOVE YOU FOREVER" if you can't read kindergarten print, complete with hearts and smiley faces of course :-)
I think these are near and dear to my heart because I used to do the EXACT same thing when I stayed with my grandparents, I would have little notes all over the house and in my Grandpa's shop with the tools.

It's really amazing getting to watch your children learn, grow and mature and enjoy everyday you have with them. I, too, get caught up in my own agenda, and when Hannah has colored the 20th picture of the day for me, I just say thanks and go on, or when Taylor is telling me this detailed story of his newest toy and how it works, I just nod along, not really listening (thinking about what I have to do). I am reminded that I need to take time and listen. They need constant love, patience and kindness to grow into great adults.
Just little reminders of how I need to embrace each child's strengths and encourage and lift them up. If I don't do it, eventually they will find other places to find that acknowledgment.

Okay I am all done now gushing about my fabulous kids.