Moments to remember

I just want to write a few things down to help my mind remember these sweet little moments that I have been having with Milayla this week. Milayla has been teething and it hasn't been a particularly fun time for her, but she has still been the biggest sweetheart. When she is teething she gets really cuddly and wants to stay nice and close. This desire to be close means a little girl who held on to the bottom of my long sweater while I made breakfast this morning. A little girl who held tightly to my hand as we explored the sand at the lake and clung to my leg when it got a little too chilly outside. It has also meant lots of naptime cuddles, books and kisses. It has really required me to focus in on Milayla and see all the diversities start to emerge in her personality. It's incredible. I love being a part of this process. I love being a mom. I love being her mom. I love having her on a chair next to me in the kitchen, breaking up cauliflower for dinner, not because it's the most entertaining thing in the world but that's because it is where I am and she wants to stay close.

These are all just simple little things but I can feel them adding strength to the communication and relationship between us. Even though our little chats aren't much right now, I hope these moments and chats are laying the groundwork for many future moments and great conversations to come. She is so incredibly special, talented and smart and I know she will only continue to build on that.

And I am writing all this down so that I can better remember how important it is to focus on those moments that I get with each of the children. That I am in the moment; the unplanned moments as well as the planned ones. That they feel my presence and my love. That, together, we are building relationships that they know will always be there to support, guide, and uplift as they grow and learn to navigate this life. And I want to solidify my knowledge that when those moments are happening - nothing else matters. Because those hands won't always be little, and they won't always be tugging on my sweater while I am in the kitchen - so I will use these moments now to build the moments of tomorrow.