Sleeping Angels

Persistence saw my “Going To Bed” list and asked me what “Cover Angles” meant. “It says cover angels,” I replied. “So we’re your angels,” she asked smiling? “Only when you’re asleep," I teased!

You would think a little girl who could do this, could hang on to the back of a slow moving van in the dark of night over bumpy roads. Apparently not. One gentle turn and down she went. Luckily her brother was there to signal me to stop and collect her wounded body and spirit. It was one of my most glorious moments of Motherhood when I scolded her for falling off and getting hurt. Aren’t I a good Mother? I’m ready to accept my award now.

When we arrived at the house I pulled her into my room with me, snuggled up beside her in my bed, and tried to comfort her. I was little needed once Lovely arrived on the scene. She gave her injured sister many kisses and hugs and rubbed her hair and face. She covered her with her favorite blanket and lay down beside her. Once she perceived her spirits lifting she instinctively knew that sitting on her sister’s stomach and bouncing up and down was the suitable thing to make her giggle and snort. All better.

A few weeks ago Lovely sat on my lap while I was in the doctor’s office being examined for a sinus infection. All of a sudden she popped her thumb out of her mouth and offered it to me. Somehow she knew that I needed comforting and it was all she had to give. The doctor was amazed and declared that he had never seen anything like it but I wasn’t surprised. How does she do it? How does a one year old know such empathy? Lovely is full of more understanding and compassion than anyone I know. Sometimes when I tell her no she will instinctively swing a tiny fist at me in her frustration. Seconds later she will follow it with a kiss. It’s always fun getting whacked across the face when you know it will be followed with a kiss of the most sincere apology. And she never forgets. She has never hurt me, even accidentally, without apologizing.

Persistence and Lovely share a room. Big sister likes to read to little sister until she falls asleep. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my children reading together. I don’t know what it is. I think if they can get close enough to share a story together then they really must love each other. Well tonight when the story was over I didn’t even try to put Lovely in her crib. She made it perfectly clear that she was staying put. She scooted down under the covers when she saw me coming, waved at me and said, “Bye! Night night!” Persistence agreed that she could sleep there for a little while so I tucked them in and shut the door. I never heard another sound.

Tonight I couldn’t resist taking photos when I went in to Cover my Angels. Even snoring angels are sweet aren't they?