You would think that as an at-home mom, I would be an expert at treasuring my children. We spend nearly every waking hour together, after all. But like so many things that are always around, my wonderment of them is often lost in the daily tasks of parenting and keeping house.

I want to be better at appreciating my kids in the moment. Quiet moments, loud moments. Joyful and hard ones, too.

The same heart that whispers “they’re growing too fast,” begs me to take more notice of who they are right now.

Notice the little boy whose thighs only hold a hint of the baby chunk splendor they once were. The one who battles dictated nap time, but quickly slumbers in unconventional places when left to his own devices.

I want to be better at soaking in the details of our everyday interactions. I’m embarrassed to admit that only recently did I realize Bug has green eyes. For a long time they were greyish blue and in my head I always just thought of him as a blue-eyed blondie like Songbird.

Nope.

They are definitely green with blueish edges. When did that change? Why didn’t I notice? Is this not the same child that I tell to “look at my eyes” several times a day when I’m trying to make a point?

Mom guilt ensues – the unwelcome companion of every mama just doing her best.

Some days I find that my camera helps me be intentional in finding everyday treasure. Our minds create memories not with a single snapshot, but rather it stitches all the small details of a moment together into a feeling.

Instead of taking just one photo, I look for all the nuances that tug at my heartstrings. It’s the same scene; but by zooming in and out, changing my angle, capturing both tiny parts and the space as a larger whole, I’m better able to record and remember the beauty of our everyday details.