1.23.2009

Love Letter: Month Thirty-five

Dear Tradd and Jackson,
A few days ago you turned thirty-five months old. Don't worry...I never say it in months when people ask me because I know it would sound kind of freakish, I always round up to three. Three years old sounds so old compared to thirty-five months. It's weird that parents do this. Before I had you I never understood why parents spoke in months..."How old is your baby?"..."Oh, he's 16 months old." And there I would stand counting on my fingers trying to figure out how old the kid was. To be honest, I found it quite annoying...until I too became a month counter. Funny the things we say we will never do until....well, we do.

Your little brains have been working overtime for the past few months. You are trying to create conversations and are very determined to "Do myself, Mama!" I am also amazed at your memories. We will do something one time and a few weeks later something will come up in one of your conversations and you go right back to it like it just happened yesterday. I hope that stays with you because I do not remember much about my childhood. I have these little pockets in my mind that are very vivid, but it often takes someone reminding about a popular toy or TV show to jog me. It's funny because when I was growing up, everyday I thought about being a Mommy and now that I am one, everyday I think about being a kid.

One of the things that I've been thinking a lot about lately is what you will remember about your childhood. Will you remember that our house was spotless? Will you remember that dishes never piled up in our sink? No...you will remember your daddy wrestling with you on the floor of your bedroom and playing puzzles with mama on the kitchen floor. You will remember saying the blessing together at our table holding hands and building tents out of bed sheets. One of the hardest things about being home with you is giving myself permission to just BE with you. One day, when you both leave for college, I will sit in a house with spit-shined floors and clean dishes and wish for hand prints on the windows and dried food on the table. I will have plenty of time for a perfect house...now I just want a perfectly happy one.

Love,
Mama

4 comments :

  1. Anonymous12:25 PM

    You definitely have your priorities in order! Play with your boys, love them, sing and dance with them. Before you know it, they'll be grown. (I know firsthand because my baby is 31 years old.)

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  2. Misty, Thank you for knowing that these years will go by quickly. You and Lee are wonderful parents and you will reap, ten fold, the joys and benefits of spending quality time with your little men. Thank you for sharing them with your family. Love ya, so much!

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  3. Anonymous8:50 PM

    Misty: I love reading your thoughts. You are a good writer...has anyone ever told you that? You have a great way of putting words to your observations and feelings. That is a gift. You should probably write lyrics for a country song or something :)

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  4. Anonymous2:37 PM

    Hey Misty,
    I just had to comment on this blog. I have not seen or read your blog in a long time, but I got the link off of Amanda's, so I thought I would check it out. I love that you write the boys letters, that is such an amazing way to communicate your thoughts. In my mind so many times, I have said all of the things you have said in this letter regarding time with the boys vs. a clean house. It is so true and it is so good to be reminded of this now and then. I am always feeling guilty for not spending enough time with Candler.
    Well it seems that you all are doing great. Things here are good too, Candler just turned two! Time flies.
    Hope all is well, take care!
    Lindsay Morden

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