Hugs and Stuff

I'm not a hugger.  I wasn't raised in a huggy/demonstrative family so it's way out of character for me to jump all over you and hug you.

So, when I married into a hugging family...it was a revelation.  What?  We're hugging?  Over a cookie?  just because we passed each other in the hall?  What??

I'm sad to say that I didn't hug my oldest daughters a bunch as they were teens....well....because they were teens.

The thing is, I had amazing teenagers.  They were good girls that tried to do the best at everything they did.  In spite of their unhugging mother.

Now, when they were babies, that was a different story....

Why is it that is so easy to kiss and love on a baby?  Because they just ooze yummy??  I will kiss a baby I don't even know in the nursery...it is just ingrained inside of me that babies are .....Good and Yummy.  There's  not a baby I've met that I didn't immediately love.....  And that's a fact.

But as they get older and develop attitudes and require more constant parenting, I find myself not doling out the love and hugs like I used to.  In fact, we can go a week or two (or three if I'm really honest) and not even touch my kids.  Life steps in and hugs step out.

And that's a shame.

So, yesterday, when I picked up Hallie, I told her I was implementing a "Three Hug a day Rule" in our house. She looked at me like I had lost my mind, and then laughed all the way home.  I told her I was serious, and she said  "You're kidding, right?"  I told her.....  Nope...we are going to hug each other three times a day....and because it was late in the day, we were going to work in three hugs before bedtime just so we wouldn't slack off.

It's amazing how feelings of animosity toward your loud mouth obnoxious little pre-teen flow out of your body, when you hold their warm sweet body next to yours  (In my case, she is tall as me, so it's a bit discomforting that I've let so much time pass)

One day they are this.....

and before you turn around twice they are 

I'm not missing any more hugs.  The "three a day" rule will stand.... and both of us are going to see a difference.

Make time for hugs.  It will change something inside of you.