Kids are hard work but..

[oddlycurious]

Whats that one thing that happens in the midst of it all that makes you think its all worth it?

I'll start.. random little hugs in the middle of chaos from my little 1 year old.

Spontaneous 'i love you mummy'

It depends on the age and the child, doesn't it? When my dd was little she used to come up with some really unusual takes on mundane things.

For me, it's helping them find their niche in life. The thing that makes them happy and that they are passionate about :)

When something funny happens and he looks at me first and then we laugh together.

He's 11 months so only recently started giving me this look when he wants to share a moment together

I had makeup on today as I went into school for my youngests end of year party. She asked me why I was wearing it and I said I didn’t want to embarrass you, I wanted to look nice.

she said, you know you don’t have to wear it, you look beautiful without it too Mama ♥️

When my 2 year old tries to comfort my newborn when she’s crying ❤️

18m old

• My DD's pure joy and abandon at everything from running around in the nude after bathtime to catching bubbles and playing with family dog.
• when she makes a joke or does something funny (she has a wonderful sense of fun and humour)
• when she reaches out her little hand to hold my hand for a "big step" then pushes it away immediately after because she can do the rest on her own. 😅
• teaching her things and seeing her discover the world around her
• watching her interact/seeing her closeness with other family members (DH DM, our siblings etc) really bring me joy. Its so lovely to watch.

A random ‘love you’ text. Mine are 19 and 12.

My heart melts when they do that.

Or when the 12 year old asks to have movie night with me and we snuggle up with the dogs.

Or when they come to me with something they have messed up for help. I am so glad they feel safe enough to tell me and let me help

Watching them play happily together (2 and 5 year old)

Toddler cuddles.

Watching him sleep looking at that little angelic face.

When he goes "no mummy" and corrects me over what it is we're doing because duh of course its a bulldozer not a digger 😂

As he comes into my bedroom and peeps round the corner at me

Their presence. I love them. Mine are 5. Twins

Their complete belief in you. They really believe you can do anything.

It wanes as they get older but there are still times that Mum/Dad solve everything just by being there

You also get to celebrate all the little victories with them

My 2yo gently rubs my back when he cuddles me, it’s very endearing. That must be what I do to him!
He was a completely non cuddly baby so it’s an unexpected delight that he’s a cuddly toddler and seems to like us now!

We don't have DC but spent a lot of time with our nephew when he was young.

He and I have a shared love of white chocolate (no-one else in the family likes it - bunch of heathens!), and I still remember how excited he was the first time he bought me a bar of Milky Bar from his pocket money ❤️.

I had to wait outside the local shop while he went in on his own and bought it. I was under strict instructions not to look through the window "in case I spoiled the surprise", but of course I sneaked a quick look anyway and he looked so little and yet simultaneously so grown up, concentrating furiously on the purchase. He was so proud of himself, and bemused when I burst into tears when he handed me the chocolate outside 😂

He's married now and is still a really kind, thoughtful young man. We both still love white chocolate too!

This is such a sweet comment and I agree completely about white chocolate

Dd1 (17) said yesterday (apropo of a conversation about a friend of hers whose mum has just been diagnosed with an illness), ' mum I don't think I'd be able to manage if you died. Like literally I wouldn't be able to carry on'
I said ' well you'd be sad but you'd be alright in the end and you'd have Dad' and she said 'yes for practical things, but I get all my opinions and character things from you. You always know the best thing to do and you do the right thing even when it's hard'.

I actually went in to the other room and cried a bit. Her Dad is morally a bit of an arse, (though she would never known I think that-we have had outwardly I think the most amicable divorce ever, though she might have made her own mind up about some of the things he has done) and she is close to him as she should be- but not an outwardly affectionate child to either of us. So it meant a lot coming from her as I know she really means it.

When my nearly 3 year old comes out with something hilarious

When my 4 month old looks at me and smiles.

My 3 year old has started saying "mummy I love you" and it absolutely melts my heart.

When he is just chatting away to himself I love hearing how he interprets things. For example, we have a lot of birds nests in the trees at ours, and I explained to him that the birds lay their eggs in the nests, and chicks hatch out of them. Not long after, I hear him outside shouting "CHICKS, COME AND GET YOUR EGGS!!" 🤣🤣🤣 it cracks me up every time I think about it.

I also have a DD who is 1 and a half, and if we are having a cuddle she will sit up, look at me and give me a kiss, then snuggle back down again 🥰

My favourite thing at the moment is that 95% of the time I can make my daughter laugh just by looking at her a certain way. It breaks tension and diffuses minor meltdowns etc, but for me that moment kind of reassures me that my trying so hard to create this bond and relationship with her is working 🥰

Mine is 12 months old. I'd say when he just randomly starts clapping, it's so cute!
Also he's started saying dadadadada all the time and occasionally a mmmmmmum which is adorable too!

The way she looks at me, unwavering, studying my face and watching my responses. Like she's just taking it all in. It's like she sees me in the purest way possible. And the way we just share a look with each other. When I make her laugh, or she does something to make me laugh. It's all in the eye contact, I can just feel our bond.

She's only 13 months old but she just feels like my best friend.

@Totalwasteofpaper

”watching her interact/seeing her closeness with other family members (DH DM, our siblings etc) really bring me joy. Its so lovely to watch.”

Oh this is such a big one for me too. The way his face lights up when my sisters come by and the way he soaks up the love my mum pours into him. It’s the best.

Also the way he lets out yells of joy when he’s happy. The nursery worker said to us the other day “he just loves life doesn’t he?” And he does, it’s brilliant.

When I go in before I go to bed to tuck her in and she half wakes up, sees it’s me and just gives me this sleepy smile, like all is right with the world and she’s safe and happy in her bed because Mummy is here. It’s heavenly. Also the fact that her face still lights up every time she sees me. It won’t last but I adore it. And every time she says she loves me unprompted. God it’s bloody great being a parent.