Just another Wednesday night.....

Family portrait by Blair

Wednesday night... what a night. I got home from work to find the kids eating a "light" snack of nachos, fruit, yogurt, and cake. Well, there goes dinner. Dean arrived home to find Kennedy chowing down in her high chair (wearing a Nilla Wafer between her eyes), me wearing an assortment of fruits and vegetables on my shirt, and Layne and Blair begging to go buy their Valentines' Day cards. Oh, I also had to break the news to him that Kennedy had decided to start pulling herself up to standing, so the crib was going to have to be lowered ASAP or we were sure to hear a thud in the middle of the night. The look on his face was priceless, something of a cross between worry, pride, and a little more worry. He took off with Layne and Blair and I began the process of chiseling food off of Kennedy and myself. By the time they returned, I had started disassembling Kennedy's crib while she sat in the middle of the floor playing and supervising my work. Blair popped her head in to inform me that she needed some extra beauty sleep and was headed to bed (it was 7pm). Not one to argue when she volunteers to go to sleep early, I went to her room to tuck her in and left Kennedy and Layne playing in the nursery. All I could hear from down the hall were squeals and laughing.

To say that Layne loves Kennedy is a huge understatement. He helps put her to bed, can get her to babble with him endlessly, he reads to her, and always asks about her when he is away from home. That is his little (est) sister and one that he is the most protective of. When Kennedy saw Layne come into the room, her little face immediately lit up, and she got on her hands and knees and started worming her way over towards him. He started cheering her on to try and crawl to him (something that she has been toying around with for a little while) and lo and behold, she did it. The more he backed away from her, the more she pushed herself to get to him smiling the entire time. He was the only one that she would crawl to last night- every time. He looked up at me with a huge smile and said he was so proud of her. His exact words were, "Mommy, I am so proud of her that it makes my heart hurt. I just want to hug her.". I told him that is the way I feel when I see him or Blair working so hard at something and they finally accomplish it. It's a good kind of hurt. 

So today I am thankful for my precious son with his kind and tender heart, for being able to witness these moments that bring a smile to my face, and for knowing that when Kennedy starts dating she has an awesome big brother to look out for her. 

Now, off to tackle today and wonder what surprises tonight will bring...