A Sweet Moment of Parenting

So often when one of my children does something sweet I say to myself, "How am I going to remember this special moment when I'm old." My Aunt Charlotte told me when I was a new mom to throw away the baby books and keep a notebook of all the cute things they say. She told me they all get their first tooth, but it's the sweet things they say that set them apart.

So today is the first day that I'm writing them down. Six years into the child rearing business and I'm just now realizing my memory isn't what it used to be. Seems I best be writing just about everything down.

So here goes cutest thing number one. I'm certain you won't find it cute, so feel free to switch to another blog--I'm a firm believer that stories and photos of children are never as cute to someone else as they are to the parents, so really, feel free to read the New York Times instead.

Today I was washing my dishes in the sink as usual when I cut my finger on a glass. It didn't hurt, as clean sharp cuts often do, just lots of blood. All three of my girls were in the kitchen when it happened and they all wanted a close up look at the red puddle forming on my finger.

They were truly fascinated. I dried up the blood with a handy dish towel, brought it into the laundry room, then stood there looking at the dishes while the baby kept repeating, "Band aid, band aid, band aid." (I am forever applying band aids for them but almost never for myself since I rarely fall down or one of the millions of reasons I get out band aids for the girls.)

When it finally registered what she was saying, I got out a Dora the Explorer band aid and she said, "I do it!" A behavior she always does when she thinks she needs a bandage.

I said, "No, Mommy needs to do it herself," and so I did. Then came the sweet part. My oldest daughter asked in such a sincere tone, if I was okay and if it hurt.

I replied "No, I'm fine, but thanks."

Then the baby said, "I kiss it? Kiss it?"

And then she ever so gently kissed my Dora band aid. It was then that I took a step back at the moment and thought I really want to remember this morning forever. I cut a finger and I have the love of three wonderful girls to ensure I survive the tragedy. It was so sweet to see how involved and concerned they were since they never see their mom injured in the same way I see them so often with a skinned knee or cut finger.