A Special Day with Joshua

I spend a lot of time with my sons, after all, we are home together (or out and about together) almost all of the time! Still, sometimes I'm caught off guard as I look at my oldest two and realize just how big they are getting and how fast the years are speeding by.

Now, my 3 littles get hordes of attention because, well, they need my physical help more and frankly, when they aren't directly getting my attention they are likely to get into all sorts of trouble! Joshua and Jonathan, however, aren't as "needy" and sometimes I realize with regret that days have gone by and outside of our day-to-day group activities and helping them with their school lessons, etc., I haven't really connected with them individually in a meaningful way. I want my boys to remember their childhood relationships with their mommy as more than just teaching, training, disciplining, etc. I want them to know that they are cherished as individuals, and to have memories of times when they each got mom or dad all to themselves for a little while, to play or share stories, hopes, and dreams, or just hang out for a bit.

This afternoon after church, Jeremy offered to watch all the children and suggested I go downtown to shop for a much-needed outfit I can wear to church. As convenient as it would have been to go alone and have an afternoon of total freedom, I really wanted to spend some time with Joshua so I took him with me. I'm so glad I did! We had a really sweet time together.

We started out by going to lunch together, at Chipotle a few blocks away. I was able to give him my undivided attention and listen to his ideas for a magic show he wants to put together, as well as several other thoughts he wanted to share...Joshua loves to talk! Then we took the subway down to 34th street and went to Macy's, where Joshua at least seemed to enjoy helping me find a simple, long black skirt to go with some nursing shirts I just won on ebay. After finding a skirt (yay!) and listening while Joshua talked the ears off our friendly salesperson, we headed down to SoHo to check out a paper shop I had heard about. The boys are really enjoying writing letters, and I've been promising them I'd get them some fun stationery. Well, it was more artsy-craftsy than kid-friendly, but Joshua nonetheless chose some brightly-colored cardstock and envelopes for him and his brothers that we will be using along with some of my scrapbook stickers and supplies to make fun cards. Then we headed back to the subway for the return trip home.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with Joshua alone, and to hear everything he had to say. He really is an amazing young man, and I'm so blessed to be his mom. I sincerely hope our time together today was special for him, too!