One Baby, Well-Loved, Smothered and Covered

Lauren was completely oblivious to the rest of the room.  I mean, sunk up to her eyeballs in concentration and so deeply involved in her coloring sheet that nothing short of a hailstorm (or maybe some fireworks) could have distracted her.  There was no penetrating her sphere of absorption. 

I tried.  I wanted to talk to her about her morning at preschool or about how excited she was for trick-or-treating.  But she couldn't hear me around her intense focus.  I smiled and shook my head; I appreciated the way the afternoon sunlight filtered through her fine hair and the way her cheek twitched as she worked.  My conversation could wait until she was less occupied. 

Instead, I headed to the baby's bedroom to wake him from his nap.  He'd need to eat soon and we needed to get ready for our busy Halloween afternoon.  He stretched and squeaked and stuck out his tongue as I carried him into the bright living room.  I laid him on the couch next to me and began to adore his every move....

And suddenly, there was Lauren.  Suddenly unoccupied.

She fluttered and cooed, dipped and petted.  Her face was inches from his nose, then buried in his neck.  She rubbed his tummy and giggled into his tiny ear.  His cheeks were covered in kisses once, twice...endlessly. 

"Lauren, honey," I tried to move her back from his face, where he blinked and squirmed under her onslaught of love.  "Babies need a little space, okay?  Scoot back a bit..."

"Okay, but just one more hug and a kiss?"  Her eyes pleaded with me.  I couldn't say no; I want the girls to be completely enamored of this darling boy.  How can I squash their enthusiasm?

Just as Lauren finished up her final bit of sisterly affections, Mia entered the room.  "Baby Landon!" she yelled.  I sighed and resigned myself to another round of his being smothered.  He, apparently, resigned himself to the same.  For at that moment, he hunkered down and crossed his eyes and knitted his brows...and filled his pants quite forcefully. 

Mia and Lauren laughed as they do each (and every) time this happens.  It's noisy and silly, after all.  I really can't blame them.

Mia arrived at Landon's side, prepared to shower him with love.  She got close enough to touch him, then wrung up her face with impressive nastiness.  "He smells DISGUSTING!" she announced.  I shrugged my shoulders as if to say, well...duh.  I imagined she'd decide against hugs and kisses just then, but she surprised me.  She swooped in to cuddle and kiss him exactly as she'd planned, declaring him to be the CUTEST baby in the world. 

"How'd we get such a cute baby, mom?" she asked as she wandered away.

I told her it was probably because we just got lucky, (I may have mentioned something about his handsome daddy, as well.) and then settled down to gaze at his gorgeousness once more.  I knew Landon would appreciate the space (finally) to move and breath without being so smothered and covered in his sisters' kisses.  He'd enjoy the lack of long, wispy hair dangling in his eyes while the girls invaded his space.  He'd probably be glad to be free of the sticky lips and prodding of fingers into his sweet cheeks.

But it was no use.  I, too, am susceptible to being overcome with adoration when Landon is near.

I dipped and sniffed and snuggled cooed and kissed and prodded and petted and loved. 

He'll get space when he's old enough to crawl away...