I’ve been talking a lot about some the harder parts of parenting, so I’m trying to add a few happy posts to balance it all out. To quasi-quote Obi-Wan Kenobi, I would like to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness.
Sure, I still have to wipe a lot of bottoms and noses and clean up the odd bit of sick. Yes, it’s true that they both wake up multiple times every night and I am always tired. But there are some wonderful things happening right now, and some things that happened not too long ago that I want to hold in my heart forever.
I wish I could bottle these things and save them for later when they’re long gone. There are hundreds of photos and videos, but some moments can’t be captured by a camera.
So here is my list of 20 early years parenting moments that I don’t want to forget:
- When one of them sits on my lap and I bury my face in his hair. The smell of the baby shampoo and the soft texture of the babyish hair (never mind the possibility of the odd nit).
- The half-a-minute each day when my boys show their brotherly love for each other – a shy little cuddle, sharing a bit of food, or playing nicely without it ending in a screamfest.
- The way my toddler dances with pure joy to any music at all. Even the ring of a mobile phone.
- All four of us snuggling in bed together in the early hours of the morning.
- The way my eldest never stops talking and loves to explain how things work (putting his own fanciful take on it, of course).
- Hugging both of them on the sofa and watching kid’s movies on lazy Sunday afternoons.
- The snorty mcsnuffles sound my youngest makes while contentedly sucking his dummy.
- The day each of them first gripped my finger with their tiny hands when they were newborns.
- The feeling of having them fall asleep in my arms.
- My toddler’s hilarious forays into talking (yelling ‘caaat’ at the cat and saying ‘beep’ while touching your nose), which he refuses to perform while the camera is recording.
- Watching CBeebies. My eldest is starting to move on to CBBC and I’m really going to miss Mister Maker and Iggle Piggle.
- The way my boys cuddle their soft toys. We grow up to think boys aren’t as sentimental as girls but that is not how it begins.
- Getting to choose what clothes they wear every day.
- Reading them stories. My eldest is starting to read the stories to me now, which is also nice, but I was loving the sound of my own voice. 😉
- Holding their little hands. Having them not be ashamed to hold my hand anytime in public.
- Having them jump into my arms when I pick them up from childcare/school.
- Answering endless “why” questions.
- The way they play so happily together when they’re in the bath. I often dread bathtime, but someday they’ll be too big for bathtime together with mummy presiding.
- The way my eldest says “I love you mummy”. And I say “I love you too”. Then he says, “That’s great.”
- Singing them to sleep.
What are your favourite moments with your children? If you could bottle one thing from their early years, what would it be?
Obi-Wan photo by Wacko Photographer [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
The Mum Reviews 
What an absolutely gorgeous post! I miss lots of these and also strange finds in my pockets like a pretty shell from the beach. You should check out my Growing pains post 😉 Thank you for linking up to #ablogginggoodtime 🎉
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Thanks for hosting and the lovely comment! Will def pop over to your post x
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Oh this is lovely. I can relate to a lot of them. If I could bottle up that feeling of breastfeeding my baby to sleep and holding her after she’s fallen asleep on me before I put her down in the cot, I would. Near the end of our breastfeeding I used to sit there and think “just a little longer, I know it will be over soon”. I’m so glad I cherished those moments. #ablogginggoodtime
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Oh yes, I agree. I feel like I’ve already forgotten exactly how it feels to breastfeed!
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This is a beautiful post. There really are so many moments us moms want to hold on to forever. Mine will be in kindergarten next year; I truly can not believe how time flies. One moment I love so much and can never forget is when he is falling asleep next to me and I say “I love you,”…..he softly whispers back “I love you too”, as he is falling asleep. It fills my heart with so much joy.
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Aw that is a lovely moment. They are just so sweet sometimes! Thanks for commenting.
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This is such a great post and a great list. I’d have to add those giggles that only babies and toddlers can make, adorable!
#Ablogginggoodtime
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Aw, I do love their little giggles too. So cute!
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God this had me in tears, I am so tired but I treasure all of the above even in my sleep deprived state. I want to bottle their cuddles forever, little arms around my neck, almost strangling me to be honest, but so real and so perfect. Love this post! #ablogginggoodtime
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Thank you! Their soft little arms and even when they accidentally dig their elbows in are the sweetest x
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I love watching my three year old run she just enjoys it so much.
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Little ones are so cute when they run. Adding the #kcacols tag for your comment above so it will count for the linky! x
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My son is so loving but I can’t imagine it will last as he becomes a grumpy teenager. I love it when his little arms go round my neck for a cuddle or he grabs my face and turns it towards him for a kiss. #KCACOLS
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Their little kisses are so sweet! x
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This is so lovely, I actually choked up a little. I think I will definitely have to make a list like this, it could be wonderful to look back on in a few years! xx #kcacols
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Thank you! I think I might have sniffled through writing it!
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What a lovely post. I think for me it has to be the first time each of my kids smiled at me. I cannot put into words how much those tiny smiles warmed my heart.
#KCACOLS
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Aw lovely, that is a very special moment indeed! 🙂
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Beautiful, gorgeous list!!! I will never forget the day I put my finger into my son’s hand, and he curled his perfect little fingers around it. In that instant, life was perfect.
As tough as things get as a parent, we needn’t ever forget just how special these little humans are ❤ Thanks for sharing! #KCACOLS
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aw bless what a lovely post and a lovely reminder of all the good times 🙂 I love snuggling into my boys hair and he adores his teddy bears – it is super cute. he is such a sensitive soul, always asking so many why questions too – and I love it! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday!
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Thanks for co-hosting x
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I’m with you on the stuffed animal cuddles and head-sniffing. My most favourite thing these days is the big hug I get when I come home from work. #FamilyFun
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Aw lovely! Mine are usually in the bath or bed when I’m home from work but then run and jump on me for hugs when I pick them up from school/nursery 🙂
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This is such a gorgeous post!!! All such precious memories. I love how my 10 month old tries to kiss – he keeps his mouth open and slobbers all over you but it’s adorable. And the baby giggles are just the most amazing sound in the world aren’t they? I love him poking my face on one of the many mornings that he ends up in our bed. I actually like a lot of things about this age, he’s mobile and doing lots so he’s entertaining to watch but still loves to snuggle and fall asleep on me. Bliss! #FamilyFun
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Thank you! Slobbery baby kisses are so funny and sweet!
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This is soooo lovely to read as it reminds me of all the little things to celebrate in our household too…. Nos 3 and 15 resonate particularly. 19 is very sweet – this parenting lark isn’t all bad is it?! xx #FamilyFun
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Such a lovely list! I love cuddles, reading stories together & taking silly selfies with my girls. x #KCACOLS
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These are all fabulous things to remember. I love seeing my son cuddle his toys too. Can’t beat cuddles or how great they smell washed!! Thanks for linking up to #familyfun
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Thank you!
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This is lovely, I haven’t really thought of these but it is a great idea. My two are the same – they show each other some love for all of 30 seconds and I am usually behind them with a camera trying to capture it… My oldest has just started talking and she will not stop now. I sometimes get exasperated by the endless mummy, mummy, mummy but I know I will miss it and already treasure it as a memory! Thank you so much for sharing this at#FamilyFun
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Some lovely things to remember here. It’s all too easy to forget the little things as they get older isn’t it #kcacols
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Number 1 was my ultimate favourite! The smell of a baby’s head, J used to laugh at me smelling them, he said it was like a mummy-drug! #KCACOLS
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Haha, I don’t think anyone but mummy likes the smell of her own baby quite as much!
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