Lots of positive notes together make a happy tune...

This week, my older girls have been sick, which means lots of potion-pushing for me and lots of couch-surfing for them. We've had some bright spots, though. You know those where you realize that all your efforts mean something in parenting (or, perhaps, your children are growing up nifty despite you)? Those make me grin. They're worth sharing when they happen, if for no other reason than to be able and come back and remind myself on the hard days that growth is there. Slow sometimes, perhaps, but steady. That's what we're shooting for.

I don't kid myself into thinking that my kids grow because of me or anything I do...I think my main goal is to simply not obstruct growth and give them everything they need to thrive!

Happy thing #1

Mirth has days when she goes WAY over and beyond normal patience levels to help Grace be successful. This is no small feat, considering the fact that Grace is currently three years old all. day. long. She's a lovely, smart, strong, lovely person who will probably feel more at home in her brain and skin when she's about, oh, 30. I can relate. She was born an old soul, and the indignity of potty training and not knowing everything and not being able to get things to work the way she'd like gets to her.

Enter Mirth. For whatever reason, she has a way about her that really speaks to younger kids, and she treats them with cheerful good-natured respect, and gets a real kick out of seeing them gain independence and skills. (Quite possibly because she remembers when she was three and her quest for world dominion was thwarted by rules, small stature and insufficient arm span.) If there's merit to the karma theory, she's working herself out of debt quickly with her fantastic patience with her sister and quick-witted charm. Rock on Mirth.

Happy thing #2:

Also, she made me a spa. Candles and all after I'd gotten done cleaning up dinner. Who cares if there were duplos and my little ponies and toy dump trucks? There were sandalwood and cedar bath salts.  Can't beat that.

Happy thing #3:

My girl brings me flowers every time she goes out. {sniff sniff} Thank you, Grace. Such a sweetie pie.

Happy thing #4: 

Lark is my little lactavist. She's very dedicated to the idea that all babies, even the mermaid ones, should have "boobie" for as long as they want. Amen. (And let us all breathe a prayer of thanks that she is no longer shrieking "Booooooohoooooobieeeeee!" every time she's sad in the grocery store anymore.) 

That's a lot of happy. It makes me feel lucky to get to be a part of it all.