Don't Let Me Forget

This morning, as my little one was drifting off to sleep for a nap, he abruptly opened his eyes, reached desperately for my hand, and as soon as we connected fingers his eyes closed and he breathed a little sigh of relief.

Melt.my.heart.

I get that creating independent little sleepers is "the goal" according to many parenting books and blogs I've seen. I totally agree that in an ideal world, this little guy would lay down awake and just drift off to dreamland with no help. In fact, I even know several babies who do so regularly, and I honestly think it's wonderful.

Want to know what else is wonderful? Feeling little fingers grip yours. The look of relief and relaxation when your sweet baby feels that little bit of comfort they needed to push them over the edge from "drowsy" to "zonked."

These moments are fleeting. He's almost 8 months already. There are days when I dream of him being a little more independent, and then I realize how quickly he's growing and changing. I just want to press pause for a moment. Take in those tiny fingers wrapped around my thumb. Remember how it felt the first time he laid his precious little head on my shoulder.

We'll keep working on nodding off on his own (gently, and at his pace), but in the meantime, I simply pray that God never lets me forget how these sweet moments awaken my soul.