Mommy! Where are you!?!?

"MOMMY!"... "WHERE ARE YOU?"...

This is what I hear normally from our oldest when he's looking for me but doesn't want to leave whatever it is he's doing, especially when the two younger boys are sleeping peacefully.  Even though I've explained to him that if he wants me, he needs to come find me, the agreement that we have seems to fly right out of the window. As I cringe down the hallway, I'm trying not to yell back while I attempt to find him, because this would contradict what I want him to do.  So I speed walk to where he is while "Stage-whispering" for him to stop yelling.

This is a typically normal day, but yesterday was a little bit different. There was a calmness in the house. I'm not sure if it was the fact that my husband was coming home from work early and he would have the rest of the weekend off or that I had just given up on being "super-clean mommy". Maybe I had just told myself that it was going to be a nice day. Whatever it was, I had such a relaxed feeling and I wanted it to last. To my surprise...it DID! 

While my two younger ones were napping and my oldest was playing games (Starfall & Nick, Jr) on the computer I wanted to do something creative. So I decided to bake something with my oldest. He loves to help out in the kitchen, I got everything ready to make Rice Krispies treats. I had never made them with him before. I thought that this would be a great time because he would have the one-on-one attention he craves. I called him into the kitchen, asked him if he wanted to help me make the treats, and he answered with a resounding and enthusiastic "YES!"

I have so much fun making food with him. He really enjoys working with me in the kitchen and just about every time he helps make food, he eats it. It doesn't hurt that the recipe is so easy and keeps his attention.

I started with melting the butter everything was going perfect. Then I told him we needed to put in the marshmallows. Then my "Baby Brain" kicks in and I grab the Rice Krispies and dump them right in bowl with just the butter. WHAT???!!! Oh great. I knew I had a choice. I could have gotten upset at myself and threw the contents away while saying "Oh well, we aren't making anything because mommy made a mistake". Or I could get a bowl and put the Rice Krispies in and do the marshmallows the right way.

I don't know if today was special or what was going on because I didn't even consider the first option like I normally would. I just laughed at what happened, which made my boy laugh, and started again. We did have to add a  little bit more butter, since the first was still attached to the cereal, then the MARSHMALLOWS, and THEN the cereal again. My son had a blast mixing it all together. He loves seeing the process of how each ingredient go into the pot individually and then comes together to create the final product. What a great experience for both of us!

The one thing I've learned with having kids is that each child needs that special one on one"mommy and me/Daddy and me" time. It doesn't have to last all day, although sometimes we're having so much fun I want it to keep going. As long as you give a little bit of time and attention to them they  feel wanted. It could just be sitting at the dinner table asking them about their day, or at bath time playing pirates with their toys. Whatever it is they'll soak it up.

I remember a conversation I was having with a friend. I was talking to her about how I had so much to do and my oldest kept asking me to play with him. She looked at me and smiled. She told me to take the time with him. There will be a time when he won't ask you anymore. I thought about what she said and smiled. She was right. The housework will be there tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, while my boys are growing up so fast and they won't always want me to do things with them. That is reality.

Whatever you are doing today, take a few moments and spend time with your children. Give them the attention they need because one day they will be all grown up and on their own far too quickly.  It's sometimes hard for me to remember to do this when "life" gets in the way, but the effort needs to be made.   Remember,  "Make It Count!"