And I was all hers

One of the most difficult things about having 3 children is finding enough time.....and energy to give them individual, QUALITY time. At least for me, that's a challenge. For one thing, I'm at work all day, five days a week, so my time at home is already limited. We spend a lot of that home time as a family, doing things ALL TOGETHER.
Even if you don't have kids, you know what I'm talking about. It's the difference between spending time with a group of friends and with one individual friend.
In a group, you divide your attention, your friends divide their attention, things can get loud and hectic....this is the typical state of my family.

Rarely is it the one on one conversation of just you and a close friend, focusing only on each other, no distractions, just an intimate exchange. Patrick and I get that after the kids go to bed, and we do make time to get out without the kids. But when it comes to me and my kids, one on one time, is scarce.

Yesterday though, Emily and Damien spent the night at their aunt's house, and Patrick went to his friend's house for a little bit. So for a couple hours it was just me and my monkey. And I was not stressed, and I was in the moment, and she could tell the difference. And we connected.

We played 4 rounds of her new board game, made dinner....which is a much simpler affair when it's for 2, rather than 5. She played in her pool, and I just sat and watched and talked with her. A simple thing, but so elusive, that uninterrupted calm.

We had peaches for dessert, and she tried to give me some of hers. I gave her a bath, washed and brushed her hair. We brushed her teeth, and I read her some books.

We laughed and smiled. We hugged and cuddled.

We're friends, my girl and I.