Beautiful Days

"You can count on me like one two three, I'll be there, And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two, You'll be there, 'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah." Is the Bruno Mars song that comes melodically dancing out of the amazon speaker of my friends home as I sit down to write my next blog.  All I can really say about this day is what a beautiful day it has been.  What a sweet, slow, relaxing, loving day.  No frills, no plans, just beautiful people and beautiful time.
It's been a great day of sharing time and stories and memories.  Little feet running around and sweet faces laughing and giggling through the day.  It's a crazy feeling to watch your children with other people.  On one hand it feels odd and a little wrong...Like wait a second, I am suppose to be entertaining them and playing and watching their every move.  On the other hand it feels so lovely and exciting.  I get to see my children in their element.  I get to be on the outside looking in and admiring their sweet features and hearing their sweet noises.  It also gives me such an appreciation for all my friends kind loving help.
Our evening was truly a home bursting with love and family.  New and old alike, we all gathered in the kitchen as Kate finished cooking.  We passed around little baby Wynn, as we all enjoyed sweet cuddles and baby noises filling the air.  Barrett was running around giggling and shouting.  He found the best playmates in Kate's husband and sister-in-law.  It wasn't long before we were all gathered around the table enjoying a marvelously home cooked meal. Piping hot apricot chicken curry with the aroma of fresh chopped cilantro permeating all our senses.
So much fantastic conversation ensued as we sat around the table for hours.  Wynn found a comfortable spot in a new friend's arms, as he rocked back and forth.  It wasn't but 20 minutes and his eyes were closed as he rest soundly amidst the cacophony of noise that still filled the house.  Barrett was transversing from up to down, down to upstairs.  I could barely keep up.  Conversation's about child rearing of course entered the mix and I couldn't have been happier to share my and my husband's philosophies. So maybe I will do that to wrap this post up.
1. Communication and Respect first.  They learn everything through mimicking you.
2. Bedtime is my bedtime. I want to enjoy every little moment I can and since we both work the only time we get is before bed and right when we wake up.  However, if you allow them to stay up with you they usually sleep much later than you ;) Quiet mornings!!!
3. Play is the best form of learning. From their vocabulary to their sensory of the world.  They get it all through play.
4. Eating happens on their time not yours.  As long as they are getting fed they are fine.  I have recognized with my older son that he eats what we eat just not always when we eat it.  As long as I leave it out he eventually takes time to fill his belly.
5. Discipline is obviously necessary as there are hard and fast boundaries, like don't put your finger in the light socket, but there are other less obvious boundaries, and those simply need a gentle approach and a little chat.  They want to listen and obey you but you have to be able to communicate in the way they understand best and show them you respect them enough to talk to them the way you would have them talk to you.  
And just like that in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 we have come full circle :)
Happy Monday to you all and may you start this week looking, seeking, finding all the little things!