You guys, parenting is hard and I’m not super nailing it in the Intentional Moments of Togetherness department with my kids, but one thing I do try to do is shove us all around the dinner table as often as possible. We try to make our kids talk about their days and go fifteen minutes without farting on each other. The struggle is real.
Enter my friend Courtney’s magic cups. I’m totally in love with these cups, because they are Totes Adorbs (I started out using “totes” ironically but now I think I’ve devolved into just plain using it, which is a little horrifying.), and they also give us so many ideas for conversations. Hence, they are called Conversation Cups, and I will tell you, they are dinner table gold. She sent me a set for free, and she wants to send one of you guys a free set, too. I’ve invited her here to tell you all about them.
So, I had this baby girl yesterday, so it seems. It truly feels like we just conquered teething, sleeping and feeding.
Now, she is 8. Just like that – 8 years in a flash.
Some things that are the same:
- Her eyes
- Her soft skin
- The way she runs to me when she’s hurt.
- The way she bats her eyes over at me to gain approval and courage.
Some things that have changed:
- She can’t fit in my lap, but we still try.
- She can read, write, dance, play guitar and draw.
- She can talk with me about her faith and friends.
So, before we all get depressed, let’s look at the options. We cannot stop time. So, what do we do?
Be present and fight through the tough days.
Treasure and cherish these babies.
Attempt to enjoy the everyday moments that we do get.
We get dinners. We get several spring breaks before we aren’t cool. We get bedtime stories. We get the ride to school. We get lazy weekend days. We get breakfast time and morning wake ups. We get sidelines and recitals.
Each day is filled with ordinary moments that can become extraordinary memories. Our family isn’t perfect – I can assure you of that. We are working at it like everyone else.
So, which everyday moments do you love the most? Which areas would you like to see improved?
Our family is working on improving our dinnertime conversations and simply getting to the table all together. Not every day, but as often as we can.
We are using my new Conversation Cups and it has been so fun to hear them share stories, jokes and concerns.
I’d love to share a set with one family!
Courtney’s giving away a set of these awesome cups, along with a signed copy of her book, In This House We Will Giggle! Look at those polka-dotted tights. Love. Totes.
