The small pleasures of parenthood - what are yours?

[frazzledgirl]

DS is 19 months now, and when I tell my non-parent friends what I'm doing I'm always struck by how small life sounds, but also how you can't convey the joys properly.

This week's have included:

The first time he's said Hello to me on the phone

Watching his face light up as we took a rattly train out to the end of the pier (I had a huge grin on my face all the way)

The little dance he did at the end of the bed this morning which left DH and I in stitches.

The spontaneous cuddle I got in the middle of typing that last one. [sniff emoticon]

Your nominations?

DS1 (6) reading bedtime story to DS2 (5)
DS1 and 2 making DS3 (11months) laugh by playing "peekaboo" with him
Their sleek little bottoms at bathtime
DS2 huge kisses, he calls them "smackaroonies"
DS3's totally mad laughter, him running (still needs 2 hands for support, but, my, he flies!)
DS1 explaining the Lego Batman Wii game to me

Oh, I could go on and on!

But also: when they are all in bed !

Ds1, who is 13, telling me that other boys in his class think it's yuk to go swimming with their mum and he can't understand that as he thinks it's great to go swimming with me.

Ds2's smiles- they lighten every minute of every day.

The way DS2, 18mo, and DS1, 11.5yo, just adore each other.
DS1 walks past the window and DS2 will shout 'Bapoo, Bapoo' (Matthew) repeatedly while jumping up and down, just cos hes soooo happy to see his brother.
The spontaneous (and very, very rare ) hugs and "love you" from DS1.

Finding a note from DS (7) saying he loved me and DH with lots of kisses.

Taking him out for lunch, then when he went to bed, he said "thank you for our lovely day out".

Yes, I could eat him up.

DD (23 months), when asked if she wanted some yogurt for pudding, replying 'no, tea and chocolate cake please' ( and possibly )

DD2 proudly announcing that she has defended her sister/friend/random hapless victim she didn't even know from a bully.

DD1 looking fab and better than i ever have ina not-quite mini and boots.

DD3 sitting singing Twinkle Twinkle for the first time nearly all the way through (2 years old), and being grossly and angrily disappointed that mummy can't read another story (obviously because i am so brill at reading them to her) before bed!

DS (4 months) suddenly discovering the latest hilarious noise I make and then having to make it so many times my mouth aches!
DD crawling into bed at some indescribable time and saying cuddle mummy

DD(2) telling me that I'm special all day yesterday (I think she's been making Mother's day stuff with CM ). The best thing is that apparently Granny isn't .

The lovely sincere hugs she gives DH at the top of the stairs every night between bathroom and bedroom.

The irrepressible peals of laughter when she farts at dinnertime

my DS1 who'll be 5 next month coming into my bed saying 'just wanted to give you some cuddles'

My DS2 who'll be 2 at the end of this month grinning like the chesire cat at the side of my bed with a sleep-squashed face and his best pal george the giraffe in one hand having worked out he can get out of his big boy bed by himself (he has only recently changed into this bed from the cot cos he kept trying to climb over the sides)

the way they both smell after their baths and they way they sleep in the exactly the same positions.

they way my DS2's face lights up when he sees my dad. and they way he'll go to the cupboard to get the bowl for the porridge my dad makes him.

oh i almost forgot - that half an hour of mummy and me time that my DS1 gets when DS2 is put to bed. Cuddles on the couch and a story before bed is the highlight of my day.

oh yeah and that cup of coffee i get to drink before it goes cold right after DS1 goes to bed and DS2 is already snoring in his bed. Bliss

I love it when my baby strokes my neck and shoulders with the soft palm of his little hand while i'm feeding him.
And his wicked little laugh when I disappear down the stairs and he crawls to the edge of the landing to "find" me!

I loved it when he learnt to say I love you Mummy at 20 months (now 2) and says it every night when I put him to bed

I love it when he is playing, looks up and comes over to me and gives me a kiss and goes back to what he is doing

I love it when DH and I take him somewhere new and he shouts look Mummy, look Daddy at everything!

Everything about him really

The huge beam that greeted me when i came home from my first outing i've been on without dd since she was born 8 months ago!

in an attempt to divert nappy change, shoes on or anything really dd 18mo puts her arms up and shouts cuddle takes ages to to get anything done with all the bloody cuddles {grin] tis bliss