Tales from the Rocking Chair

Maybe I should have named my blog tales from the rocking chair or confessions of a green mama.  

Don't you think it would be funny to read confessions of a green mama?

Today, I took the kids sandwiches in plastic bags (gasp!)

I have been using disposable diapers on Cameron since we moved (ugh!)

I run the dishwasher sometimes when it isn't full (oh no!)

I don't dry my clothes out in the sun (this is disappointing to me I am not going to lie)

I don't compost

I threw away some paper today with the trash (oooh)

Well todays post is a tale from the rocking chair.

I have been spending some extra time with Cameron before bed rocking him in the glider.  He is 2.  (gasp, you still do that, are you thinking?  Isn't he supposed to be putting himself to sleep, do you still breastfeed too?  We just stopped breastfeeding this past month and I am very bummed, I had said that I would only breastfeed until he was 18 months.  That came and went and he turned 2 and we were weaning slowly.  He is about done, I don't think there is anything left :-( He asks every once in a while but it is almost jokingly because the last couple of times he has nursed I don't think there was much left)  Anyways, back to the rocking chair/glider tale...

I have really cherished the extra time we have spent cuddling, singing, praying, rocking.  The kids have listened to a worship CD at nap time and nighttime for as long as I can remember.  It is called Sing Over Me: Worship Songs and Lullabies.  And really they are beautiful.  What better to sing them to sleep than songs about Jesus and his love for them.  How Deep the Father's Love For Us, How Great is Our God, May the Words of My Mouth.  It is almost like in those times when we are rocking I can escape the troubles of today.  Enjoy being a child, praise God for the love between a child and his mother.  Thank God that he loves us like a parent loves his child.  Be His child, sit in his lap, sing to him, drink Him in.  Sometimes I pray out loud for my little blessings.  My kids share a room so Cora is usually in her bed about three feet from the chair where we are rocking.  I kiss his head.  Stroke his cheek, run my fingers through his hair.  Savor his little being.  Drink him in.  It is just absolutely wonderful.  I didn't do this with Cora, partially because I had Cameron when Cora was only 18 month but I was convinced at that time that babies were supposed to go right to bed on their own at 8 weeks, thanks Baby Wise.  (that is a little bit of a stretch, I think we did some sleep training when she was much older, 11 months or so)  Cora is 3 1/2 and I will take her to preschool this week and I feel like I missed something.  Those quiet times in the rocking chair.  Rocking, praying, singing, being, loving, touching.  They are not always going to be like this.

I was in a mom baby group after I had Cora and the lady who facilitated it would say to us, "ladies, love your babies, rock them, hold them" when we would say our babies don't go to sleep on their own, other people's baby's are going to sleep on their own.  Now that I have two babies - one who is going to preschool this fall and one who has just weaned my advice is to say love your babies.  Drink them in.  Caress their skin.  Feel their warmth.  Pray for them, thank God for them, because 

"it won't be like this for long."  

While he still wants to be rocked, I am going to cherish it.




Disclaimer: I know some kids don't want to be rocked and that ever kid is different and yes there are obviously other ways to love your child than rocking him at night.