Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Well-Deserved Cuteness

The summer of 2011 was a long one for me. Between the scorching temperatures outside that kept us mainly inside, the budding independence of my 3 year old, and fulfilling the needs of my then-infant daughter, it was pretty much the longest three-month span of my entire life. I earned my stripes, so to speak. And, no doubt, a few (more) grey hairs.

The great thing about parenthood, though, as most empty-nesters will tell you, is that you seldom remember the difficult, crappy stuff. Sure, there are those occasional, "I'll never forget the time he..." stories that raise your blood pressure every time you recount them, but for the most part, parents typically block out the bad things and remember all of the sweet, wonderful moments.

I, too, will soon forget the stress of my trying summer at home with two very young children and will only reminisce fondly about things like this:

The fact that Brogan still says "mazagine" instead of "magazine." It's adorable.

Or when he decided to combine two familiar sayings to make the soon-to-catch-on-and-be-a-classic phrase: "Uh-oh, goes the weasel."

Or when he get's excited about something and tells it to me in his super-animated manner. He's a doll.

Or how impressed and entertained we all are by Brynna's new repertoire of "tricks." Her performance includes nodding her head for "yes" and shaking it (usually with great vigor) for "no." She rarely employs either one at the appropriate time but that absolutely, in no way detracts from their cuteness. She also closes both eyes at the same time in a double-wink of sorts. And then there is her tongue...she sometimes sticks it straight out and, at other times, pops it out of the corners of her mouth. It's this new muscle that she has just learned how to operate and she get's a real kick out of using it to mimic whatever we are doing.

Two more things I just can't get enough of are Brynna's smelly toes and her head-butting me. Stay with me here. When I change her diaper, she stretches her legs toward me and offers me her toes. Yes, thank you. Those are just what I ordered. I sniff her toes, drinking in that clammy but not-too-young-to-be-stinky baby feet smell, then I plant a kiss on the soles of her feet. I don't know which one of us enjoys it more. It's heavenly.

And I've apparently kissed her on her head so many times that it's how she thinks people kiss. When I ask her if she wants kisses, she offers me her forehead. This get's interesting when she's sleepy and clumsy. The result is often her head-butting me in the lip. That is one fat lip I'm willing to endure.

God, I love those kids. Can you blame me? And, after the summer we had, I needed some sweetness from my two little B's.

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