What are your favorite things about being a parent?

I love watching my kids learn and grow.
I love seeing Maggie run and jump with complete abandon... and seeing the pure joy on her face when she does it.
I love hearing new words and phrases and seeing a real personality emerge... one that's different than mine and different than DH's.
I love the smiles, kisses, hugs & I love yous that are offered with no strings attached.

it's pure vanity but i love having a little person that looks just like me.
i love how i can be raging mad at him and he'll come over and give me a hug.
i love (most of the time) seeing how independent he has become lately.
i love watching my son with my dh, and seeing how great a dad marc is.

I love seeing the daily changes and development.
I love the funny things he says.
I love seeing his love for music.
I love when Frances gets a big smile when I pick her up and she dives at my face and chews on my nose.
I love when Joe first sees me and come running over yelling "Daddy's here!"
I love seeing the world through their eyes and finding the pleasure in the little things.

Dennis

Well as we speak Liam has taken pieces of banana and lined them up on the table all in a row. Small, but cute, things like that make all the tantrums worth it.

I also love when I'm holding him in my lap, reading him a book and he turns and looks up at me with a big smile.

And unsolicited kisses... got one this morning and my heart melted. :)

I love that when I walk into his room in the morning the first thing that is exchanged is a smile. That has to be the best way to face the morning.

I love having someone to go on adventures to the grocery store with me.

I love having someone to hug who loves all the hugs I give.

I love that he makes me a better person. I've learned to eat better and exercise so I can live a long life and watch him grow.

I love watching him experience something for the first time. Everything is so new and wonderous.

I love rocking him to sleep when he's teething and he can't get comfortable anywhere except for in my arms.
I love taking care of him... bathing him, singing to him, feeding him.... the whole process.

I really enjoy it all. It's not always easy, but when I"m in a content mood, it doesn't seem so bad.
Oh, and just like Kim, I love that Aiden looks just like me... complete with red hair and blue eyes!

Mandy

I love unsolicited kisses and hugs, even if they are accompanied by slobber and/or followed up by a kiss from the raggedy bunny.

I love watching him learn or have something click. Also when he throws out a new word or phrase that I can't figure out where it came from. Just amazing.

I love that I can almost always comfort him if he hurts himself or doesn't feel well.

I love that sometimes when he's asleep he'll still call out my name :)

I LOVE when he says "pretty please with sugar on top", followed by a kiss. How could you not do whatever he wants?!

I love everything about him! This is hard.

I love:
when can't hide his feelings - they are written all over his face!
When he learns something new
when he is happy
the face he makes when he is so mad at me and crying because the world seems to be coming to an end.
when he falls asleep while he's eating
when he sees a choo choo train
when he kisses me or hugs me
when he sees daddy come home from work

There are so many things!

Well, my DD is only 3 months old but what I love so far. . .

~ I love seeing her smile at me first thing in the morning
~ I love being the one who always can make her smile, at any time
~ I love seeing her get so excited when she sees me
~ I love watching her learn something new every day
~ I love the fact that my DH and I made this wonderful, adorable, human being :)