As a stay at home mother, I get the privilege, the honor, and the laborious luxury to experience, endure, and edify each and every phase my kiddos go through- all day…every day. These “seasons of growth” consist of any and all stages throughout a child’s life as they grow and thrive on changes that occur through their ongoing years of development. As each milestone passes, the basic neediness of the child rises for the mom to be “present” at all times …as any one of these newfound trends in child rearing sucks you into the mommy world for days and possibly weeks on end. It’s the call of the mother to care for, intervene, teach, and persevere through each trying obstacle on the motherhood course. I’m sure the turns and trials only get harder and more complicated as our children get older, but for now I am in the beginning stages of this jolly ol’ journey.
From teething to toddling…from tantrums to teasing, the list goes on and on and on. We have landed on the infamous “tummy ache” in our home with my second child. As a mother, you try to “label” what it is- and investigate the cause or at least give it some explanation: “My child is going through blah blah blah…” usually giving it a definition of sorts that justifies the unwanted and unacceptable behavior that causes great stress of the mother. With my son’s “tummy ache” I begin the quest.
After an Easter Holiday of running around Grandma and Grandpa’s farm and eating almost 23 pounds (rounding up) of sugar, I can deduct that the tummy ache is quite explainable. Too much crap and too much fun. Easily acceptable. Done. Needy boy needs rest and a body cleanse. But apparently he needs more…
He begs and pleads for cuddle time on the couch and his desperate desire is to watch home videos of his long gone baby days.
Hmmm…
I succumb to his desire, as I plead guilty of indulging my child when he feels rotten. So we spend the day off of school to snuggle and smile at those precious days of infancy.
This continues throughout the day… and well into the night. Needy boy is moaning and wanting ‘love’ constantly…
However, when it’s time for soccer, needy boy springs up and grabs his coat and says he’s “ALL BETTER”. Hmmm…
I proceed to explain his circumstances, as such that his tummy has healed and a day of rest has clearly been the remedy he needed to get back into life! On to soccer, while I watch him devour the field and dominate the ball for an hour! YAY!
On to errands, as needy boy starts to complain of his tummy again and whines like a fire engine truck going by at top speed. Hmmm.
Diagnosis: Too much running around. Remedy: Will get him back home to rest yet again.
Needy boy cries, “I wanna watch more videos and snuggle mommy!”
No. Off to bed young man. But needy boy cries, “I wanna sleep with you, mommy!”
No. Off to bed young man.
Next day…repeat of the exact same, except with higher pitched whining as I insist on him going to school and promise more video time after he has a great day. He proclaims that since his sister gets to miss so much school because of her tummy aches, he should too. (Another Ah ha moment) He mopes on to school, with groans and moans and tears.
After school, he continues neediness. I succumb, as I realize that his need is more than tummy healing. We are on day 3 of this high maintenance stage. I just finished another round of videos and snuggling, and I stand my ground on going to school and him sleeping in his own bed. I am watching his junk intake and he is sleeping much later than usual every morning, to which I am allowing because apparently he needs it. We will soak in this new phase as long as we have to, sometimes you just gotta ride the motherhood wave with the patience of a saint (which I do NOT have) and the strength of a warrior (which I do NOT have).
As these days have unfolded, I now can identify and give that good ol’ justifiable explanation… something every mother searches for in her quest for intervention, teaching, caring for and persevering through whatever the trial may be.
My boy is going through some growing emotional separation anxiety needing to have his mommy baby longing jealous of sister’s attention, extra needy phase.
I succumb…
And as I fight with utmost strength to push it all away and dismiss it with a forceful direction, I realize that I possibly can hold this season in my arms and embrace the blessing of being in it with him. The phase will come much too soon, when he will NOT want to be with me and fight to the death preventing any embrace at all.
Yes. As he hangs on me now, awaiting more “momma love” time…I will end this post and go snuggle with my baby boy.
I can’t believe it! My oldest is going through the EXACT same thing! It all started within the last month or so. It is often hard to treasure those moments, but the Holy Spirit often reminds me as well to treasure these moments because he won’t always “want” mommy & daddy this much. Out of all of my kids he also has a heart of gold seeking God even at 3 1/2yrs old. It is incredible to watch his young little life unfold…
Isn’t that amazing!! And how do you sail the waves with THREE little ones!!!! That equals THREE different seasons to teach, intervene, care for, and persevere!!! All at the same time. But I could picture you juggling it all with both the strength and love of a Godly Mother. 🙂
Bless that sweet boy’s heart! I love Cade!!! Such a lover! Soak that up my dear sister!! I learned a couple years ago when I decided to ‘stay home’ full time that I didn’t want to miss one snuggle opportunity because these kids will grow up so fast! We are at the point in my home that ‘movie nights’ are a fight on who gets to snuggle with which parent and we have to start a fair ‘rotation’ system! ‘Ok, Nathan its your turn for this episode of Little House and Joey you will get the next one ok? Kelsey you will be with daddy then switch to me, ok? :)’
Bedtime process can take up to 1-2 hours for us at this point and that is counting the time AFTER our stories, teethbrushing etc because mommy and daddy rotate individually and go into EACH of 3 bedrooms, climb up EACH of 3 lofts, and spend snuggle/talk/prayer/quiet time with EACH of 3 children. Kelsey knows well that she can count on that ‘time’ and will say frequently ‘mom,have to talk to you about something in bed’ and she knows that’s my cue that something is on her heart. God bless this privilege of parenting! After all hearts have been connected, Ryan and I finally meet up again in the living room, look at each other, and take a deep breath realizing most of ‘our’ quiet time is gone for the night. But we know that these nights of quality character and spiritual building moments with our children are priceless, abundantly rewarding, and a short season of our lives. May we be blessed my many more years of long bed time rituals and snuggle time to come……
WOW! How beautiful sis! Um. Not always like that here. LOL
Even with an 11 year old, he is still a momma’s boy!! And while there are times I wish he would not be, I love it that he is!! GO MAMMA’S BOYS!!
Oh yes! We will embrace our babies til we die!!!! Unless they do something really stupid, then we will snap. Huff. Yell. Then momma’s boy returns for more love! And momma will embrace her baby all over again….and on and on and on….til he does something foolish, then we will groan. Moan. Glare. Then momma’s boy returns for more love! And momma will embrace her baby all over again…and on and on…