They Won't Always Be This Little

 
As I laid down with Bella last night, putting her to bed, I watched her. Her tiny little hands holding her beloved and much cherished Lambie. The Lambie who even though has been through the wash countless times is still stained with bits of this and that. The stuffed lamb who goes everywhere with us and is never left home, the Lambie who comforts my little sweetheart with something to hold at almost all times, and that she asks for when she wakes and mumbles in a sleepy stupor to me "Lambie Mama" when it gets lost amidst the blankets.

 

And it suddenly hit me... She won't always be this little.

Now I've always known that, it's just common knowledge, but sometimes as a parent we get caught up in the every day, the little things, we have a rough day and rush through the moments, mumbling under our breath, "is it bedtime yet?". But mama, they won't always be this little.

 

There will come a day when they don't need us as much anymore, they'll put themselves to sleep at night without you, not needing their special lullaby you've sang to them since they were still in the womb. They'll bathe without your help. There will be a day when she'll say "mama I don't need you to wash my hair, I already done it", because they won't always be this little.

 

One morning they won't wake you up to get them breakfast, you'll sleep in and you'll wake up to find they've already made a bowl of cereal for themselves. Bella will do it to me,  I done it to my mom, she done it to her mother and on and on before that, it's just the cycle of life. But I read something recently from a friend on instagram that struck me through my heart just a little, she said "It's funny how, as moms, the main goal of our lives is to make ourselves unnecessary."

 

And it's so true. We sometimes forget during the busy-ness of our days that they won't always be this little. Their boo-boos won't always need kissed, so kiss them while you can.

They won't always need you to open the door for them or put their shoes on them or get them a cookie, because they're growing every day and they won't always be this little.

 

Mama's, hug your babies, hold them tight, sing them their special lullabies and remember, they won't always be this little. They're growing, every day, learning new things and growing into the amazing humans they were created to be. But they won't always be this little.

 

Tonight I'm going to snuggle my baby a little closer, because I'm watching her grow, right before my eyes, but into the most kind hearted, beautiful and sweet little girl. Watching as her features change and she doesn't look so much like even a toddler anymore. Watching as she learns how to open the pantry door to get her own shoes and cookies, watching as she puts her own shoes on. Watching and listening as she tells me at two years old that she's "going to change the world!". Already she has such big dreams and aspirations.

 

I'm watching her drift off to sleep, as I sing her favorite lullaby, silent night, the same song I've sung to her even before she was earthside, watching her snuggle her Lambie and flutter her tired eyelashes on its ears like she's always done as she falls asleep. Watching her, holding her as she's snuggled up to me, and soaking up all these moments, because she won't always be this little.