Hook hits a heart string

The kids were watching Hook the other day. There was a scene that left an impression on my thoughts lately. The woman points out that there is a very short time in the life of your child that they want you around, they vie for your attention, they want and need your companionship, friendship and affection. They prefer your company and want you around. That before too long as parents we will be the ones trying to squeeze into their lives. Time is short when they are young. I thought of how we sometimes want the kids to just "grow up a little." If they could cry less, understand better, go to the potty in the toilet, communicate better, follow directions, be less adventurous, have less energy, be more motivated to learn, pay better attention, try harder to obey, make good choices, etc etc. We want them to get past difficult phases and think things would be easier, instead of enjoying life in the state that it is in.
It is true what she said and almost heart breaking. I thought of Trevor how he squeezes in between me and the counter and pushes on my legs to get my attention in the kitchen. How he motions to me "com'on". I think of how Zac wants me to watch him play the Wii and "feat" level 4. I thought of how Jenna wants me to look at her pictures and listen to her stories. I think of Zac when he was 2 and 3 and how we thought he was so hard, and I look at his sweet pictures at that age and see that he is just a little boy, and so darn cute!
Sometimes those pleads and even nags for attention are annoying to me. I have other stuff to do, there is more to being me than playing and listening, but I have been thinking of these kids and how I should take more time with them. We take for granted their love for us. Or I should say that I take for granted their love for me and desire to be with me. There will come a day when Jenna may not want to share with me her latest creative idea, that Zac won't want to talk at all and that Trev will be more excited to go play ball with his buddies than throw it to me recklessly. Even later, they will grow up and have their own families and their lives will be busy. Then it will be Steve and I trying to see when it is good for them and their cute families for us to visit and let us in on their lives.
So even though it is not reasonable to let the world fall apart around me so that I can play and listen to my babies all the day long while they still want to play and talk, but my heart does feel fuller with my love for them and desire to be present for them. I do love my kids and am grateful to be a parent even in the difficult times, the trying phases and the needy days. I feel like making more eye contact, taking more time and hugging them longer.