April 24

Today is the last Friday of the month, which means it's gymnastics day for Daisy. She has had to miss the once-a-month class for the past two months, due to sickness and Eli's unexpected arrival, and I was feeling awful that my sweet girl (who wants to be a gymnast when she grows up!) would have to miss it again this month because I'm not up to taking the kids places by myself with this broken leg.

Then my dear friend Amber offered to give Daisy a ride to gymnastics. Even though she has five children of her own to take to gymnastics. Even though it would mean a car seat shuffle. Even though it meant she would have to leave significantly earlier to get there on time. Even though she was already bringing us dinner tonight.

It was one of those small things that is actually quite huge. My little gymnast spent all morning asking me when Mrs. R would arrive, and when gymnastics would start. When she returned home after gymnastics, she was too tired and happy to say much. But after her nap, Daisy chattered away about all of the awesome things she got to do at gymnastics, and my heart was full. Thank you, Amber.

While Daisy was gone, Lily, Eli, and I had some quality time. Amber returned my lace wrap, which she had been borrowing, and Lily recognized it right away. She knows it's her wrap. Now that I have my lovely new wrap, I'm considering selling the lace one, so I began looking it over for flaws to see what kind of a value I could expect. As I examined the wrap, Lily grew impatient.

"Up? Uppy? Bap? Up bap?"

Finally, I couldn't put her off anymore, so I tossed Lily up on my back. She was so cooperative and so happy to be wrapped up on my back! (Side note: as I was tossing her up, I realized that it might not be the best thing to toss a 22-pound toddler onto my back when I have a broken leg. But whatev.) I can't even begin to express how lovely it is that Lily loves being worn as much as I love wearing her, and my heart hurts a little bit that I'm not able to wear her as much now that Eli has come along.

For memory's sake, we snapped an awful picture:

This picture is so truly terrible that I don't even know why I'm sharing it, except for sweet Lily's smiling eyes shining over my shoulder, and her darling little foot. Yes, wearing my babies is convenient. But even more, it is lovely in a way that can only be explained by the sparkle in her eyes. I love it.

But of course, on my first full day without the brace, I overdid it by lunchtime. So naptime looked like this: 

I am thankful that I have the luxury of snuggling my little ones in bed. What a delightful thing it is to have his cheek to my chest. I listen to him breathe as he listens to my heart beat, and all is right with the world.