Belly Laughs

We went to the community pool as a family yesterday. I'm so grateful Ben has a job that doesn't demand long hours day in and day out. We needed a little family time, and both of the big kids told us repeatedly that they were so thankful we were having a fun family day.

It took us a while to figure out how to get our whole family down the lazy river, but once we had it figured out (Coraline and I in one double tube and Ben with Reid and Nell in another) we were rocking it. Coraline and I were a bit ahead of the others when we heard Nell let out one of her overjoyed belly laughs. I heard the mother behind me say to her son, "Ahhh, I miss that." She was so sincere and I could sense a little bit of the longing in her voice. 

I naturally turned and flashed a smile of pride, and she realized I was the mother of the blissful child. "I really do! All stages are fun, but that laugh just took me right back to that age and all the memories that come with. I love it." Then she turned to her son and said "I do, I remember you being that little and laughing so easily like that. It's a sweet sound to any mother." 

Nell sure is in the throws of the belly laugh stage. Reid still belly laughs as well, and Coraline is starting her own sweet belly laugh (especially when Ben squish hugs her). It's so nice to have those moments where you catch another mother longingly admiring your stage of parenthood. 

Having so many littles so close in age can be exhausting, They each demand so much attention, but I know good mothers look back at these years with happy memories. I am doing my best to build my own.