Creating rituals and memories
In my mind, there are a series of memories I want my children to recall as adults. Baking challah on Friday for Shabbat where they do the braiding and the smell fills the house. Making homemade chocolate chip cookies from scratch (which entailed finding a recipe we like - thank you Trader Joe). Skiing together in Big Sky (or any other mountain).
There are moments every day that I hope I'll remember. Like my daughter's giggle when I lay on the floor with her and kiss and tickle her. Like my eldest's intense hugs. Like my younger son's first realization that he can recognize and read words on street signs and books - and announces them. It's hard in our fast paced society to slow down and experience moments. Of course, there are plenty of moments I hope I'll forget such as the bickering in the car over who said what and who annoyed who.
My family is talkative and the kids talk non-stop in the car unless we are singing or listening to a book on tape (no digital dope unless it's a roadtrip longer than one hour). My family has a story that I talked incessantly as a child and that my mother asked me to pause so that I didn't lose my voice. And my three year old response was that talking was my favorite thing in the whole world and how could I stop. My kids heard that story from my Mom this weekend. They thought it was hilarious. She thought it was sweet payback. I thought it was one of those moments that deserved to be recalled.
What memories do you proactively try to make and what moments do you find you recall?