As I sit and stare at the perfect little details of my new twin niece and nephew, I want to hang on to this tiny little stage forever. I think about how soon they will be crawling after each other, then how they will be chasing their siblings and cousins, and the fact that far too soon they will be teenagers doing the kind of math that makes me cry. 😃 Too soon they will no longer be babies passed around for squishes and cuddles.
My 6 year old nephew sits and stares with me, admiring his newest brother and sister. He wants to know what he was like as a baby. "Was I this small?" "Did you know me when I was a baby?" He's suddenly 6 years old, but I remember the grey footie pajamas with green stars that he wore when I held him for the first time. "Was I cute like this, too?" I tell him he was the cutest, sweetest thing...just like he is now. He laughs because he doesn't believe a 6 year old can be as cute as a baby. But he is.All of "my babies"--even these newborn twins--are changing and growing too quickly. I can't take it all in fast enough. I forget that I have to treasure every. single. moment. with these kids.
We all play roles of aunts, uncles, parents, teachers, or nannies. God places children and adults in each other's lives because we both learn from each other. The sad thing is that we, as adults, allow ourselves to become overwhelmed with the struggles and negatives, or we just plain forget that they grow up too fast for us to turn to procrastinating. We tend to think "later will be a better time to start disciplining, to start teaching, to start loving better" and "I will probably be better prepared and more capable at another time." Really, the best time to start is now. It doesn't matter how incompetent we feel because as we commit to loving them better, we will become more and more sufficient.
Whatever your role may be in a child's life, don't forget to maximize your time NOW in showering that relationship with love, fun, and purposeful instruction. Sure, kids need corrected and disciplined for wrong behavior, but they also need approval, reminders of their worth, and "just because" smiles. They need adults who are gentle balancers and encouraging fans.
Well, the first month of life for "my twins" has already screamed past. I like to think they are as in love with me as I am with them. After 3 years without a new addition to my tribe, these twins give me all the first-time auntie feels again. (also looking forward to meeting #16, arriving any day!) I am so excited for the privilege of watching them grow up and let me be one of their favorite supporters. 👣 |
| "Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her." |
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| Aunties enjoying snuggle time and admiring tiny babies |
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| Grandma and a family of 5! |
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