Good days

This parenting thing is a serious deal.  It can be hard with lots of ups and downs and figuring things out, and then just when you start thinking you're getting the hang of it, something changes and you're back to figuring it out once again.  

But some days (a lot of days) as parents are really, really good.  You have moments where you realize that despite the sleepless nights and tantrums, and hair falling out and endless messes, that you wouldn't want to be doing anything else in the world.  You realize you are the luckiest person in the entire world to spend your days with these little ones who really are the greatest people you've ever known.

We've had lots of good days around here (and yes, lots of tough ones too), but this day sticks out in my mind as just a really good day.  Maddie had been working hard on potty training and filling out her sticker chart.  She was doing really well, and the deal was she had to have her chart filled up and be potty trained and she could pick any toy that she wanted from the Disney Store.  She finished her chart and we had a rare Saturday afternoon where we didn't have much going on so we decided to let Maddie get her toy.  She was beyond excited.  She picked a Rapunzel animator doll immediately when she walked in.  She had been talking about getting a Brave doll but as soon as she saw Rapunzel there was no changing her mind (and believe me, we tried - she already has 2 other Rapunzel dolls).  She gave the cashier her potty chart in exchange for her doll and we were off.  She was thrilled!

We went to Kneader's after to grab a quick dinner and Maddie was on cloud nine - and pretty proud of herself I think (and we were proud of her too).  She kept saying "This is the most perfect doll" while hugging and kissing her Rapunzel.  Life was good for her.  In between bites of her soup, sitting across from us, she stopped and looked at us and said "Hey guys, you are the best family ever!"  I teared up right there and she went on eating.  (Maybe it's easy to be the best family ever - buy your girl a doll right?).  We spent the rest of the night walking around city creek and shopping and watching the fountains.   It was such a simple thing but Josh and I kept saying as we drove home  and the rest of the night how much fun we had with our two babes and how this parenting thing is pretty awesome.