I'm Going to Miss This Stuff

I'm traveling out of town for a few weeks for work, leaving a working mom with two kids to fend for themselves.  I'm not worried, she is "Mom of the Year" after all, and we've had time to prep.  What I worry about is missing all those special moments that are simply a part of being a parent.  I'm going to miss Grace bossing Sam around, I'll miss seeing them explore together, I won't miss the whining much when something isn't perfect, but I will miss their triumphant successes when they learn a new skill or overcome a hardship.

I'll miss taking crappy iPhone photos at all the usual haunts like the zoo, kid's museum, parks, and home.  I'll miss the fun smiles from simple pleasures like yogurt covered raisin snacks, finding a long lost toy, or seeing a parent walk through the door.

I'll miss all kinds of thinks I don't even know I'll miss, like Sam's recent decision to "read" (look at the photos in...) books all by himself.  What is he going to learn to do while I'm gone?

I'll miss Grace and her weird antics with her friends, like piling as many toys, books, anything, as possible on her bed while the two of them are in it.

Most of all, I'll miss her.  I'll miss her warmth, her smile, getting mad at her for no good reason, getting un-mad, watching her make cupcakes at 10pm for a birthday party the next day, and for the million other reasons I decided to hang out with her for the rest of my life.

I havne't even left and I can't wait to be back.