This is something I wrote a few months ago but never posted. It was a lazy day with the babies.

Today we are lying around. It’s raining out. The car is away being fixed. My husband went into the office.

We are all in my bed huddled together. It’s almost 11 and we’re still in our pajamas.

My first and second are on their tablets. Their backs are to me. They’re sitting so close that the shirts of their matching pumpkin pjs blend together to make one big shirt. They’re giggling. They tell each other they’re doing a good job on their games. I hope they always stay this close.

I’m lying with the baby. He reaches out and touches my face, memorizing every line. His gummy smile fills with drool. I gaze into his eyes for a bit. His stare penetrates my heart. I am the center of his world. I’m the center of each of their worlds. Even though the big two are immersed in their screens, they’re still close to me. Each of them touching one of my feet.

It’s so easy to get lost in chaos and forget how fast life moves. Society doesn’t encourage slow days. I know it won’t always be this way. I know we won’t always be able to lay around or that they will all want to be as close to me as possible. But today I am making it a point to remember. 

Today I’m not rushing them to get dressed. Today I’m not going to worry if I’m stimulating their brains enough. Today I’m not counting the time spent on screens. I’m not keeping tabs of everything I think I’ve done wrong. They’re happy and that’s all that matters.

Today I’m taking their lead. Today I’m relishing in their comfort. I’m soaking up our freedom of ignoring the outside world. 

Someday they’ll be grown and off changing the world. They’ll have schedules and commitments. Maybe they’ll have families of their own. 

But not today. Today they have me and I have them and that is all we need.

I know memories of these unremarkable days will give me comfort some day when I’m missing them. Memories of the “easy” days. They won’t remember, but I will.