Moments of Motherhood: Sewing with Ellie

I usually sew when my kids are sleeping because... well... for obvious reasons. Today, however, I was still working on the kids' stockings when Ellie woke up from her nap. Usually I would have finished up and put things away, but today she pulled up a chair and asked me if I could keep sewing so she could watch. I of course gave her the "don't touch" spiel, and I kept sewing. She asked me questions, and I answered, and we both enjoyed ourselves. We got into a rhythm of her handing me pins when I needed them and then she would put them back into the pin cushion when I was through with them. She warned me to "be careful so you don't hurt your fingers," and I talked to her about each step, explaining in 3-year-old terms why I was doing what. She was quite proud of the fact that she was my "special helper." After about 20 minutes she said "Mom, we're having girl time. I love staying up late (staying up late is the best privilege EVER for her right now) and having girl time with you. Nathan's not awake, Jonah's not awake, just us. And you're teaching me how to sew for when I'm a big girl and I can do it all by myself."

For the next hour she and I sat together sewing and pinning, with her telling me several times how much she loved sewing with me and reminding me over and over again that I would teach her how to do it by herself when she was big.

I am so grateful for times like this afternoon when I get to just listen to my little girl tell me what's on her mind, and her and I get to bond and share in something that we enjoy. It reminds me that I could do better to slow down and revel in these sweet moments of motherhood, because my little princess is growing up right before my eyes.

(The neighbors brought by some hand-me-downs yesterday, and Ellie could not be more thrilled with her new Rapunzel nightgown. It was quite the task to get her to take it off this morning so she could get dressed.)