sweet sleepers

Last Christmas, my parents gave me this baby monitor as a gift. At the time, I knew what it was for (the obvious)
-to be able to monitor my kids visually without going in the room
-make sure a whimpering baby didn't really need me
-hear a noise..wonder if a kid fell out of bed - quick check on screen and all is ok

really just for convenience...kids are upstairs. we're down. we needed it.

But today while kids are napping, i realized it's really for something way bigger and more important than all of the above. I am able to watch my kids sleeping...this is what i see





and after a day like this i need to look at these sweet sleeping faces and be reminded that...

(for molly)
even though you pooped on the floor today and i stepped in it...you still are a sweet innocent little girl
and even though you slapped your sister and drew ALL over your walls with a paint pen....how can you not want to kiss those peaceful cheeks
and you may have thrown your whole dinner on the floor and refused to eat...but really - who needs food when you are this adorable?

(for mills)
she's just sweet and i like looking at her - this contraption will come in handy when she turns on me in about a year.

(for mary james)
i took a camera out of her room once it seemed more like spying than monitoring..but after my new revelation...i may just add one back in there

I always wondered how my mom could recite this every morning to my little (hellion of a) sister (sorry kathryn but it's true) as she came down the stairs: "my doll baby angel, coming down from heaven!" and now i know...she must have been sneaking in her room and watching her sleep every night.

post by kristen