Dear Lyla, You Continually Melt my Heart

Lyla,
You melt my heart in the sweetest ways EVERY DAY! It starts first thing in the morning and continues right up until I put you to sleep. You always have the biggest smile on your face when I walk to your room in the morning. I wish I could wake up half as happy as you do in the morning. No matter how tired I am, your smile makes the morning SO worth it. As I am changing your diaper after we get up, you chatter away, as if you are telling me about the far away places you traveled to in your dreams. I love listening to everything you have to say. Then, since you are still nursing, our routine is to get back in mommy and daddy's bed to nurse and snuggle as we continue waking up. I love this time and will miss it. I love the way you always get so excited as we walk back in my room because you are so excited to see your daddy (and wake him up). I know during the week you are always so disappointed to see him not there, but it makes us look even more forward to the weekends.

Throughout the day your giggles, your squeals of delight, you beautiful big blue eyes that light up when you are excited or find something new, are all the things I want to remember in my heart forever. They make me fall in love with you more (like I could love you any more?!) and my heart just swells with joy. I have to say though my absolute FAVORITE right now is how multiple times a day, whether we are playing on the floor, I am carrying you, or we are busy doing chores, you frequently stop what ever you are doing, crawl over, climb up in my lap (or pull at my legs for me to pick you up), wrap your little arms around my neck and hug me so tight. Sometimes (most of the time) you give me a kiss to go along with it. In that moment I stop what I am doing and relish in your little hug. I never know how long it will last, most of the time it is just a few seconds, but it fills my heart with so much love. You are really not snuggly by personality, so when you do this it makes my heart melt. You are a strong, independent little girl, which I love about you, but you also have a quiet sweetness to you. These hugs make me smile because while they feel so quick and innocent, it too is almost like you have them well thought out and needed a mommy minute. Maybe they are just for me, like you feel like I needed a hug in that moment, or maybe they are for you and you felt like you needed some love. Whatever the reason I will always be ready for love from my little girl. I pray there is never a moment where you feel I am too busy for you or I have not given you enough attention. I treasure these sweet hugs.

Bedtime is a sweet time too. I will also miss it when we stop nursing during this time, but am excited because I think it will be some sweet times with daddy. We read our books and say our prayers. Sometimes you fall asleep before we are done and sometimes you are wide awake still. But that moment right before I get up to put you in bed, once again you wrap those little arms around my neck and snuggle into my chest. It never lasts long, maybe 10-15 seconds, but I breathe in the smell of your sweet baby-shampooed hair, feel each little breath that you take, the warmth of your footy-pajamaed body on me and just melt. Please Lord, help me to remember these sweet moments forever.