Cherish Every Moment

I recently stumbled across a friend of a friend's blog that really touched me so much I feel compelled to share their story. I was reading through this blog and seriously had what Oprah calls the "ugly cry" going on as I was reading each post about a very tragic experience in their family. I couldn't stop thinking about my sweet little Lincoln and what would happen if something tragic like this were to happen to our family. I am a strong person, but I don't think I am strong enough to handle something like this.

Ashley and Pat Sullenger had a 2-year old little girl, Preslee, who drowned i

n a canal behind her grandpa's house in Southern Idaho this past summer. In their blog, they have Preslee's "story" in 17 different posts. Each post goes through the few weeks between the actual drowning and her passing. Click HERE to read their story

There are so many things that Lincoln does every day that absolutely warm my heart and make me feel so grateful to be a mother. Here are some of the things I love so much right now and never want to forget:

Lincoln loves when you ask him to be "gentle" and he will gently pat your head. He gets SO excited when you call him a "good boy" and he claps his hands loudly and smiles his huge, dimpled smile.

Lincoln loves when Dad comes home from work. No matter where he is in our little house, as soon as he hears the front door open, he cocks his head, yells, "dadda, dadda, dadda, dadda" and runs (very bow-leggedly) towards the front door. He runs right up to Sheridan and latches onto one of his legs.

Lincoln is such a great eater! He eats anything we try to feed him and he is not afraid to try anything. He also has all of his baby teeth. Some of his favorite foods right now are: apples, salmon, steak, steamed carrots, and fruit snacks.

Lincoln is no longer in a crib, he is in his big-boy bed. He also can open doors. So, every morning between 7 and 8, he crawls out of bed, opens his door, and RUNS into the living room. He is always so happy and excited in the morning and wants to tell me ALL about his dreams (although I have no idea what he is actually saying).

I even love Lincoln's temper tantrums. Ok, I don't actually love them, but they are pretty cute. When Lincoln doesn't get his way he throws himself on the floor and then ROLLS all the way across the room until he hits a wall, couch, chair, etc that stops him from rolling any further.

Probably my favorite time to spend with Lincoln is while we are reading. Lincoln LOVES to read. We read probably 2-3 hours a day. Lincoln is a very, very high energy kid but the one thing that calms him down is reading a book. It is the only way I can get him to sit quietly on my lap. He will sit for 30-40 minutes at a time, as long as we are reading books. He sits on my lap while I read each book and I point to the words as I read them. Lincoln loves to turn the pages. Some of his favorite books right now are: That's Not My Monster, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Old McDonald Had a Farm, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You, and Ten Little Ladybugs.

Lincoln loves to talk in his own language. He talks all the time! And, although he definitely knows what he is saying, we still can't really make out any clear words. He LOVES to talk on the phone to Dad. We call Dad often at work and Lincoln will hold the phone between his head and shoulder and talk to his Dad.

Lincoln has so much fun "dancing" and is so cute. Whenever music comes on tv, he starts waving his hands all crazy in the air, stomping his little feet on the ground, and spinning in circles. American Idol especially triggers his dancing sessions. :)

When I read the Sullengers story tonight, it really reminded me to cherish each moment you have with your children. I love all the little "moments" I get to have with my son every single day. I love staying at home with Lincoln, and seeing his little mind grow and develop. If you are reading this right now, remember to give your kids an extra-long hug before they go to bed tonight and make sure they know how much you love them. Accidents can happen to anyone and you never know how much time you will get with those you love.