Saturday, January 9, 2016

Body Hugs

Full contact body hugs are the best from a little warm child. I get snuggles from Aisling who likes to bury her face against me. Ceilidh loves hugs. Devlin will cuddle up still, but only in the privacy of our home. I don't even get a props or a wave when I walk him to school. It is not cool - I get it.
And Quinn? It's the full on, coming right at ya at top speed body hugs. I love those!
I know it's only a matter of time before he won't be proudly pointing to me at the school yard and telling his classmates "That my mom!"
I know the days are limited where he'll demand to be picked up and carried. Yes he still does that once in awhile.  He can curl up in your arms and snuggle his face against your neck and all is good in the world.  And yes, I love that feeling so I am suckered into carrying him to school, on the very infrequent opportunities I have to walk the kids to school. It's an extra workout - a half kilometer trek with a thirty-something pounds of a wiggling and giggling little boy.
There have been many changes with Quinn is the past four months. He's started school and we have to yet to receive a phone call home about any misbehaving. He can identify his name and is making valiant attempts at spelling it too. Quinn's vocabulary and pronunciation had grown by leaps and bounds. There was a moment of concern when he was assessed by the speech therapist at school. But once his age, lack of two front teeth, and a foreign born nanny were factored in, it was determined he was right on target with his speech development.
And still, after baths, he's still the same little monkey who loves to run into mommy's bed, naked, and hide under the covers, waiting for Mommy to come look for him. The tiny bump under the covers could be a pillow, but for the wriggling from all the giggles he's trying to suppress. Once you find him, there's a wrestling match to get lotion on him and pyjamas on, all punctutated by slobbery kisses and hugs.
We also decided to start Quinn in hockey this year. Yes he's the youngest and the littlest kid out there. And yes, he couldn't stand without falling at first. But I had decided my back couldn't handle another season of being bent over and holding onto a child who wanted to spend the entire session crying.  It's been two months, but he's moving across the ice, and staying upright. I love watching him come off the ice after a practice or game, with his entire face lit up by the toothless grin.
In the change room, once I get his jersey and skates off, Quinn is able to undress himself. He's quite adept at undoing the velcro straps on the various pads and throwing with unerring aim into the hockey bag. Surprisngly, he also knows his left and right which makes getting him dressed so much easier. If only he'd agree to go to the bathroom BEFORE getting on the ice. Putting a kid on the toilet, in full hockey gear, when the kid is small and the gear is huge means Mommy has to provide extra assistance in holding steady and aim! Not amusing.
But I digress...this blog is about body hugs, and the best body hugs are after hockey. After the gear is stripped off, and while I'm trying to get this kid dressed, he will launch himself into my arms because he's so happy and plant a big kiss. Sometimes, he'll lick my face too.

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