JDaniel is a hugger. I couldn’t be happier. At first he would only hug me. Then he progressed to his dad and grandparents. Now he hugs his friends when we leave their houses or say goodbye at a play date location. These are not just I am leaning my head on your should hugs. These are wrapping your arms around you and squeezing hugs. The best part is that he really seems to enjoy hugging. He gets a big smile on his face and lights up as he hugs people.

My husband and I hold hands when we pray before dinner. JDaniel has seen us do it for months. He reached over a month ago to hold hands with his grandfather during a prayer and then didn’t look like he was going to repeat it. Recently I felt a little hand covered in spaghetti reach over from his high chair and tug at my sleeve during the pre-meal prayer. When I looked up, there was a bright red hand covered in noodles. I had to take hold of it. It was the right thing to do. It was a little difficult to concentrate while praying with food mushing in my hand.

There wasn’t anything better than JDaniel wanting to join in our thankfulness for the food we are about to eat and that he has already started eating. Last night he added his own “Amen” at the end of the prayer. It was the most precious thing.

JDaniel and I set out to rake the leaves in front of our house yesterday. We both rakes in handmade our way from the shed in the back of the house to the leaves scattered everywhere in the front. He was excited about helping mom do a big person’s job.

At first, we did rake the leaves. I raked them into piles and he raked them out of piles. Next, he moved to pick up leaves and dropping them over the curb into the street. He had seen me rake some leaves into the street for the county maintenance department to pick up on Monday. It was a tough task for him. He had to gather leaves, carry them to the curb, squat down and place them on the street. All without falling face first into the street.

After doing that for about ten minutes, he moved to analyze leaves. JDaniel sat beside a leaf pile and looked at the leaves one at a time. He chatted to himself with words only he understood about leaves.

Each leaf was turned carefully in his hand to view it from many angles. He smoothed some out and crinkled others. Finally, I put down my rake and joined him. We chatted about the color of various leaves and the noises I had heard them make. Then we just sat and looked at them together.

JDaniel reminds me every day of the beauty of small things and small moments. He loved helping me rake leaves. He found joy in knowing where the leaves needed to go. He found pleasure in sitting and looking at the leaves and how each was made.

I have tried to use the racecar grocery cart. It is the most unyielding thing to try to push down the aisle of a store. JDaniel was placed in one at Home Depot once and ever since then he has pointed to them frantically as we enter the grocery store. They are always right inside the door. It is like they are waiting for him. I have tried to explain to him that you can’t have a petite mommy that is not muscle bound and ride in the cart with the car. Only big moms can use those carts. So far he is buying it. The day is coming when he is going to notice that there are little moms pushing those horrible carts that don’t turn in aisles. I hope it doesn’t happen soon.