Lately I’ve been acutely aware that our family dynamics are fixing to change. As excited as we all are for these changes and welcoming in a sweet, little life, we are also prioritizing the time we have with our three- (almost four) year-old. We just took our very first family vacation together (amazing!) and Sam has been thinking up clever craft ideas for the days I’m away at work. They’ve tie-dyed t-shirts, made beaded jewelry, learned to fly paper airplanes. It warms my heart to the core.
One of my favorite things for Matilda and I to do together is to be in the kitchen. I’m pretty sure that we’d both agree on this one. I measure, she pours. We pull out the stool so she’s almost at my level. She stirs. She asks me about all of the ingredients and she knows most of them by name now. She likes for me to read the recipes out loud to her. It’s awesome. We both really like working with our hands and I love trying new foods, so it’s kind of the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
The other day I had an assignment to bake a cake and we did it together. She mixed in the carrots and helped with the frosting (mostly by licking it up with her spoon). I’ll always treasure that day. Seeing her in her little apron, knowing how much she’s grown, thinking about her doing the same things with her little girl one day. Sometimes the tenderness is too much.
When I start to feel overwhelmed by mothering a newborn, I can only be so excited and grateful because I know what goodness lies ahead. It’s such an honor really. I can’t wait to share these experiences all together and for Matilda to show her little sister the baking ropes. I have no doubt she’ll be an incredible teacher.
