The Shaw Family Blog

Yesterday I brought a newborn June home from the hospital and today I woke up with a boisterous one year old and a busy-body two year old at my heels. Where did the time go?! The days seem to be zipping past me in a blur that I can't slow down. We recently moved into a lovely new home, in a very family friendly town, and my girls have reached an age where they both play well. And I love it. Really. I'm tired much of the time and having two little girls so close in age, so young, and so dependent on their mama warrants the occasional fluster of tears. But especially in the past month since Jo has started walking and become a bit more independent, I've fallen so in love with our little family.

I love hearing Jo's pitter pattering little feet on our hardwood floors as she toddles
through the house and into my room in the morning with a bright, scrunchy-eyed smile on her face. I love getting June up in the morning and hearing her shout, "Hi Jo!!!!" the moment she spots her sister in the kitchen eating her breakfast. I love watching them discover a new park and excitedly navigate their way through the play equipment. I love standing next to June at the kitchen counter and walking her through the steps of making a ham sandwich as she stacks her bread with cheese and pickles and then proudly carries her creation to the table for lunch. I love hearing Jo say new words and phrases each week. This week's phrase is, "Did it!" pronounced, "Deh-d det!" I love hearing June belt out her favorite songs while laying in her crib after putting her down for a nap. We in fact just put her down for bedtime and she's next door to us singing, "Five Little Speckled Fwogs" at the top of her lungs. I love sitting outside in the evenings as we wait for Tim to get home from work, and the girls screaming, "Daddy daddy daddy!" the moment they spot his car. I love watching them run to him and give him a big hug, eager to talk to him about their day. I love our family walk on the greenbelt bordering our neighborhood each evening after dinner and listening to June jabber on about the cars passing in the distance, or the colors of the wildflowers we pass, or the duck floating in the pond. I love holding Jo's stuffed bunny out to her and watching her rush toward it and hug it tight with the sweetest exhale and the brightest smile on her face.

I could keep going like this. Our life is far from perfect, but today is one of those days where I just want to freeze time. I want my girls to stay in this stage forever. I want them to always be head-over-heels for their daddy. I want them to always beg me to hold them and tickle them. I want them to always sit in my lap and cuddle with me while I read them a book.

Today I took them to the mall and June begged me to take them on the carousel. I sat them both on a horse and stood in between them, supporting their backs. Then we hopped off and made our way to the indoor play area. We passed the Easter bunny on the way, taking pictures with kiddos dressed in their Easter best, and the girls were enthralled. They couldn't take their eyes off him. Then they climbed around on the play equipment that was swarmed with dozens of toddlers. And finally, we took a ride on the elevator to make our way back to the van and home for a nap. Each small venture we made at the mall today was so exciting to them. They were nothing but smiles while riding the horses up and down on the carousel, and I had a hard time convincing them to walk away from the lanky (and might I add, slightly creepy) Easter bunny. The play area that they had played at several times before today was just as exciting to them as the first time they visited. And the elevator ride was the icing on the cake for June. She had a small melt down as we were leaving the mall because she wanted to ride the "elligator" again. Anyway, my point with all of this? My girls are at a fun age where the world is exciting and fun and everyday brings new discoveries and surprises. And simply put, I love it.