Dekker and Solomon have been lovingly labelled here at home as the downstairs boys. They share a room in our basement, so the boot fits. Its a good setup, because first off, Rowan really benefits from having his own room at this point, and secondly, Dekker and Solly are both sweaty dudes, and our basement stays cooler. So its perfect.
I get the downstairs boys up every morning. Oftentimes, I open their door and both boys immediately burst from their beds and we share a big group hug. It is the BEST greeting! They’re both so cute, in their little gitch, snugging up close with me and each other. Seriously, one of the softest hugs I get all day.
Sometimes, Solly jumps out of bed and greets me, but Dekker stays in bed. Which makes sense, because Solly often wakes up earlier than Dekker and chats at full volume, waking Dekker. In those cases, I hug Solly good and proper, and then we both go jump on Dekker. He loves that. Truly.
This morning was really special, though. Both boys has just woken up when I opened their door. Solly had sat up and Dekker was laying down. I went to Solly first. His hair was all ruffled and he was rubbing his eyes. I sat on his bed and reached up to touch his head. He nuzzled my hand like a puppy, so I stroked his cheek and he leaned into it. I cupped his little face and placed my cheek against his. It was such a soft, quiet moment. I truly don’t think I’ll ever forget it. After a couple of minutes, I moved over to Dekker’s bed. He was still laying down. I didn’t have as much access to his face, so I opted for a head scratch. He sighed a little and lay perfectly still. I said good morning and told him I loved him. His eyes remained closed, but he smiled at me. I massaged that big ole head for a minute or two before I conceded to our schedule and told the boys it was time to get up. No one groaned at me or complained. They both started moving around in the dark. I cracked the curtains open and everyone got really squinty, but again, no complaints.
Please, check your “wait until their teenagers” comments at the door. l will take all the early morning softness I can get from my kids. I choose to believe it keeps getting better. If these snuggly mornings are any indication of what is to come, I am IN.
My beautiful downstairs boys, it is an honour to be the first person to see you every morning and the last person to see you in the evening. You are so dear to my heart.