Seriously! Every day he makes me laugh. Like really laugh, the good big belly ones. Austin is the funniest person I know, admittedly just to his father and I. He gets humor now and will turn on the charm once he knows he’ll get a chuckle. I never know what words are going to pop out of his mouth, but I’m enjoying finding out. We now have a running joke in our family, literally a running joke, where Austin runs as fast as he can through the living room, down the hall into the kitchen and pops his head out from the kitchen wall and shouts “quesadilla!” James and I have no idea why he chose to say quesadilla but it had just the right comedic effect to have us rolling as he ran laps around us sitting on the couch and repeated said scenario over and over. You just can’t prepare for what your kids will do that will make you laugh. But I’m thankful there’s lots of these moments.

Also, the love that a kid can give you is unlike any other love! Nothing beats the feeling of that special connection we have. Like when I pick him up from preschool and he runs over to me shouting “Mommy!” with his arms reaching for me! Or when he grabs my cheeks and looks into my face and whispers “Mommy, I love you”. I just about died from love when I was lying next to Austin and he started rubbing my back with his sweet little toddler hand.

And did I mention how considerate he is? Like this kid legit asked the mechanic and the barista (separate occasions) if they were ok, because he heard them cough a little. He tells me “God bless you” when I sneeze. And he always says excuse me after he burps and then lets me know that he burped 🤣 Austin is also so receptive to my emotions that once when I was in a deep moment of contemplation over something I was angry about, he asked if I was okay. I had tried to hide my feelings and was paying him attention still but he just knew. This kid has the power to calm an emotional storm in a second, with his sweet words or touch.

And what about his childlike nature and holidays? Kids make holidays fun all over again or fun maybe for some for the first time. I know I get way more kick out of introducing Austin to holiday traditions and watching his reaction than I even did enjoying those traditions myself as a kid.

Kids let adults have moments to just be a carefree kid again too and play on the playground they’ve long outgrown and do treasure hunts for simple things like leaves and rocks. Not to mention, get back in touch with our artistic sides. Kids crafts for the win! I could mention a million other special memories but I’d rather not bore you, if I haven’t already.