The Makings of A Magical Life

I want to give my kids a magical childhood. I want to give them what I had, while making sure they have something different, something better.  I want them to know that they are loved and cherished; to look back fondly at the time they were growing up and say beautiful things about the life I made for them.
Pinterest claims this means animal shaped sandwiches, perfectly themed birthday parties, and an intricately designed bedroom. It means Advent Calendars with a new activity for each of the 25 days before Christmas. It means handmade Valentines and elaborate Easter baskets. Instagram suggests it means trips to Disney, ski trips, and pristine beaches in Maui.  It means individual daddy/daughter dates, participation in all the activities, and perfectly curated entertainment. 
Sure.  That can be awesome, but I think the magic happens in much simpler ways. 
It's in the routines we set for our kids' lives; the things that make them feel safe.  It's the sound of the dishwasher running at night, waffles on Sunday mornings and the special plate they eat their birthday cake on each year.  It's the smell of coffee in the morning, dance music while doing chores, and audio stories during quiet time.
The magic is in birthday streamers, movie nights, and staying up late to finish a puzzle.  It’s in playing superheroes with your brother and sleeping on the floor with your cousins.  It’s in having your aunts and uncles and grandparents nearby. The magic is in going to the mall to eat pizza in the food court. It’s in couch snuggles and bubbles in the bathtub. It’s getting your pants muddy rolling down the hill and catching snowflakes on your tongue.  They feel the magic when going to the park on a nice day or splashing in puddles after a storm. It’s found swinging on a porch swing.  It’s coloring on the floor while someone reads a chapter book out loud. It’s making a card for a family member that’s sad. There is magic in lunchbox notes and ice cream on the first day of school. It's Christmas Eve at Nana and Papa's.  The magic comes from seeing the ornament you made in Kindergarten hanging on the tree year after year.  It’s watching the colors through the sunroof as you go through the car wash.  It’s climbing a tree.  The magic is in reading magazines on the way to school and telling everyone the newest animal facts it unveils.  
The big stuff is exciting, but it's all the little moments that make up a magical life.