The Golden Hour

The littlest three and I spent the golden hour walking our neighbourhood in search of the perfect park, and when we found a winner we played to our heart's content. 

Owen beamed with pride after he conquered his fear of heights by jumping from the top of a play tunnel. Avery giggled with delight as she experienced a swing for the first time. Ariana oozed confidence as she perfectly landed her front handspring. They played Truth or Dare. I laughed way too hard when bouncing them up and down on the see-saw that was almost too small for me to be on. There were moments of sass but even more moments filled with smiles. 

Seconds after hurriedly snapping this photo with my phone, Avery pulled Owen in and gave him a sloppy kiss. Something she does often. And he smiled at her, kissed her back, and whispered, "I love you, Peanut." Something he also does often. Then he ran off to attempt to balance along the edge of the see-saw carefully placing one foot in front of the other. 

These moments are our everyday life and seemingly ordinary, but I find that as I've gotten older I see that these little moments are in fact the big moments. Their sum is what our lives are made of. 

So strive to be all there, fellow mommas. Even when it just seems like another ordinary day. Don't take them for granted. Hug them tight. Kiss them often. Study their sweet smiles. Tickle their bellies. Eat their toes. Listen to their stories. Encourage their imagination. Love them like mad. And say yes often, even if it means the kitchen doesn't get completely cleaned and another mess is about to be made. Because their future is created from todays. 

So make it count.