All sorts of moments.

Each morning Ian climbs out of his bed at the crack out dawn and says to me "I want cuddle jusssst a minute". Each morning I let him in, knowing that his idea of just a minute will last until we choose to get out of bed for the day.

Yesterday morning I couldn't go back to sleep after he got in my bed. I laid there holding him, thinking about how big he felt. He used to be a tiny baby that I could curl up in my arms towards my chest. Now he's so big and long that he tucks his head under my chin and tangles his legs up with mine. I was sitting there enjoying the extra cuddles when I had the thought;

How much longer do I have left to get these cuddles?

He's two and a half years old now. How long do little boys ask to climb in Mommy's bed for cuddles? Until they're 5? 4? Please don't tell me it's only 3? I sat thinking "Do I only have a year to a year and a half left of this?!" It will never be enough. What am I going to do when he doesn't want me near anymore? Doesn't he know that he's supposed to be my baby?

And then I relax and think that this is just another reminder of why I try so hard to savor what I have with my babies. They don't need to be rushed. We need not to get angry or frustrated when they need us, even if it does seem like they neeeeeedddd us every second of the day. Because someday, I'm going to want it back. I recently read that it is important to remember that you are not raising and inconvenience, you are raising a child. I think that we all could try a little harder to remember that most of the time.

When Ian's tugging at my leg while I'm doing the dishes, or running around and playing when I'm trying to get his coat on, or being loud while I'm trying to watch tv...I just stop and take a moment to think about how important these moments are. Just like cuddles, we only get so many baby moments. Toddler moments. All sorts of moments. I'm so glad for all of the moments that I have experienced so far.