Bowled Over by Love

Another game I played as a child, that has also been passed onto my kids is “Darling!” Anytime the moment strikes me during the day, I hold out my arms and say “Darling!” to one of the babies and usually they come running from wherever they are, and give me a big hug, sometimes followed by a kiss. They have really taken to this game, and now initiate it themselves, except when they say it, it’s more like” Daw-eeee!” Sometimes they want to play it over and over. We’ll hug, they’ll take a few steps back, and run to me again. It a great game.

This morning, I walked into the living room where they were all playing happily. I crouched to their level, and to no one in particular, said the magic word. Alex and Ruby both started charging. Ruby made it first, with her arms wrapping tightly around my neck. Alex stalled a little, kind of looking like he lost his chance, until I put my arm out to show him there was room for him too, which he accepted, and hugged me too. Then seconds later, before I really even knew what was happening, Bennett barreled into the middle of the cluster of babies with a huge smile on his face. He was not going to miss out on the Darling action this morning. My teetering tiptoes gave way, and we were all laughing, jumbled up on the floor as if Bennett was a bowling ball and we were the pins. Sometimes it really feels like there isn’t enough of me to go around, but we make it work in our own way, even if it means I get beat up a little bit. A very small sacrifice, in my opinion.