Gosh this is hard but tell us what makes it all worth it for you.

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My DD is 2 and a bit and its been the hardest 2 years of my life (apart from maybe the years and years ttc) I have never worried so much or been as frustrated or as tired or as anxious but every day she does things that just melt my heart and make my soul sing. It's great just to stop and remember what a wonderful difference she has made to my life. The little things she does and says that makes all the pain anguish and frustration worth it. This morning while I was getting her dressed she lovingly and gently rubbed bottom cream onto my face and said 'there mummy all better now'. What do your little ones do that makes the rest just go away?

When DS1 wants a cuddle. Makes me realise he does love me afterall, dispite all my failings.

DD - when she tells me I am the best mummy in the world for letting her have yogurt in an ice cream cone and kisses me.

Ds2 - when he says I wuf you, hands, kiss, cuddle and new today rub that (eskimo nose rub) his routine when he goes down for a nap.

When my ds comes in to my bed at 5 in the morning gives me a cuddle, tells me I am beautiful and that he loves, whereafter he goes to sleep.

When both my dd and ds argue as to who gets to sit next to me at breakfast and dinner.

When I put my daughter to bed, we whisper to eachother and I tickle her back.

This morning I asked my dd (almost 3) what she wanted for her birthday, she said 'Mummy!' and a picnic!
And when we fall about giggling together

ds is hilarious. we had a long talk today about how poo and farts are quite funny but not everyone thinks so. We agreed to only make fart jokes at home and not on the bus/at church etc. About five minutes later he came through and whispered 'mum, let's say fart, ok...1..2..3...FART' and then he laughed until he literally couldn't breathe. weirdo. I think he is actually the coolest boy ever though.

my DD is just reaching the arn't farts hilarious stage, we were pissing ourselves watching the ninkynonk fart its way around the night garden today.

Her cuddles are just the best thing in the world, she puts her whole body into it, lays her head on my shoulder and wraps her arms around my neck, she will often say "i love you my mummy" at the moment its "i love my daddy, and you, (pause) and bob (the dog)". She is cheeky beautiful and so loving. I agree with the OP its been the toughest 2.5 years of my life for many reasons, but she is the one thing i wouldnt change. I even love her when she is naughty and she tells me off!

This thread has really made me realise how lucky I am. We had a pretty rubbish day today, we were both tired and grumpy but there were still lots of good bits and even grumpy ds is a lot of fun.

When ds1 (nearly 4) is making ds2 (10 months) giggle and they're both having such a lovely time together, I'm so happy I've got them both!

ds (nearly 5) asked if he could help me do the washing up while I took dd for pm nap. Came back to find he had scrubbed the pan with caked on porridge which I had been putting off for ages, it was gleaming! Couldn't believe it. Makes it all worth while

Just before DS goes down to sleep at night he gives me a massive hugs and a (snotty at the moment) kiss and nose rub. i love him so much even though i still sometimes find it hard to sacrifice 'me' time (am getting bbetter).

Also the page in 'going on a bear hunt' when they find the bear - I read him the lines while tweaking nose, ears and eyes and then we both yell 'BEAR'!!!! at the top of our voices! Fab

This is a lovely thread

'I lub you so much mummy'

"you look beautyfully mummy" said at 5-30 every morn when my dh gets out of bed n my 3 yr ds gets in. n when my 7mt ds smiles n grabs my face n trys n eat my chin. my 3 yr ds has been a nitemare last 2 wks n even though i love him i wasnt really liking him at the mo but he does a hundred little things a day that r special n this has just made me remember that cheers!!!

Thank you all so much. There has been many many threads that I have found so very helpful during difficult patches. I wanted to share the wonderful bits as well as the difficult ones. The fabulous welcome I got this afternoon when I picked my little treasure up from the CM. Watching her cuddle the dog at bed time giving him his 'night night huddle'. I feel so very blessed

DD2 (5) loves me 'like a lion' she rubs her soft cheek back and forth on mine...

when my daughter calls oh murrie (mummy) and kisses me about 10 times shes 2 and she sings with a hair brush looking in the mirror

When my dd1 (15) tells me I am her best friend and I know she means it...

When my dd2 (11) tells me about her plans to have a farm with a pet shop and a house for me to live in when I am old so she can look after me.

Watching DD (6) and DS2 (5) wash each others' backs with bubbles in the bath, so sweet.

each other's (?)

when ds1 burst into tears because ds2 had trapped his finger in the door.

When ds2 tries to wipe my bottom.

The way I have to give ds1 his inhaler so he can breathe again when he is watching the episode of Pingu where they wee on the floor.

the way I have hard wired them so ticklish that all I have to do is wiggle my fingers, or hold their ankles and they are screaming with laughter

When ds2 demands a duddle

the way ds1's voice shoots up 2 octaves when he is talking to his cuddly toys

When I was walking to school with DD pointing out pretty flowers and she said 'Mummy, when I see beautiful flowers it is like I am in Flower Heaven!'
When, at the weekend, DS says 'lets have a family day today'.

when ds says at nap or bedtime "mummy I will close my eyes when I go to sleep and think about you"
or
"you and daddy are my best friends"
or
"if the new baby is a girl can we call it mummy because that's a nice girl's name"

He's 3.5 and everyne else is right, it's so easy to forget these lovely things in the midst of all the other stuff that is less fun. Lovely thread.

When I'd had a bad time being admitted to hospital via A&E and when I got back the next lunchtime after ds's nap, he was in his bed (he and stroked my arm very tenderly and said 'nice to see you mummy'. I shed a tear.

They are just wonderful.