It's the One on One time

So I'm sitting here writing.. the house is quiet... all except for one little girl sitting behind me in her zebra snuggie reading her library book and eating a spoonful of cookie dough.. I know. It's 10:15pm, but who cares. She's skinny, I've only spent 2 hours in her presence today, and I just don't care if she's up late eating cookie dough. I'm just enjoying being with her.


It's just a reminder to me that the small moments of one on one time are so precious. As a mother of four and the youngest of four,I feel like I am qualified to discuss the signifigance of one on one time in large families.

I can remember times that my mother spent with me away from the others. Time that was JUST the two of us. No fighting for her attention while my sister was yaking or my brother cutting up.. just us. Once I remember my mom rocking me while she watched MASH. I was much too old to be rocked, but I remember loving it and hoping it wouldn't end. I also remember a time or two that she checked me out of school for a dentist appointment. My favorite thing was our lunchtime afterward. Just us!

With four semi little kids, I try so hard to savor those moments. Last week I stole Cort after school and took him to Starbucks. At first he kinda looked at me like I was crazy, but once he got his Chocolate Chippity Frappucino and got involved in talking to me, he was pretty happy with the choice.

Clayton gets his mommy time every Monday and Friday. He's enjoying his last year as a Preschooler. And Kate, well, she kinda gets it often because she comes and finds me and is old enough to enjoy whatever I'm doing. Usually it's an hour of "Say Yes to the Dress". And Caroline, well, we have to work on it. She lives a crazy life with her gym, but somehow we manage to find the time.

Now, I'm not going to lie. There are plenty of moments when I hear "Mommy.. will you read my book... Or Mommy, will you lay with me... Or Mommy will you go for a bike ride" that I just shutter and say "not now"... and I usually regret it later because I know it was important to that child. But, I'm doing my best and pray that they see that.

And last but not least, Daddy gets his one on one time too! It usually is a little harder for him with four needy kids, but we make it all work. All I can do is thank God for the time he multiplies for me and the precious moments as they come.