It's in the little moments.

"A good life is a collection of

happy moments"

- Denis Waitley

As I looked down at my son in his crib this afternoon, watching him try to think up reasons to stall nap time, I was overcome with love for this ridiculous little guy. Once again I fell a little bit more in love with him during this simplest of times. He looked up at me while I stroked his hair, and when it looked like I was going to tell him goodnight and walk away he would quickly ask for kisses, or just say "Mamma!". This happens almost every time I put him down to sleep, yet it always fills me with the warmest of feelings. 

One of my favorite things about times like this is the power it has to change what emotions I'm feeling. The second I stare down into those eyes I can go from being worn out and frustrated at having just dealt with a temper tantrum of his, to feeling like the luckiest mom in the world. This happens many times during each day, the smallest of things that will remind me of the reasons I love him and why I do the things I do. Things that make everything worth it. The list may change day to day, but here are a few that standout to me since I became a mom two years ago.

1. Crying happy tears with my husband after he was born. They held him up for me to see for the very first time, laying him on my chest. I looked over all of his features, trying to memorize them, as quickly as I could knowing that the nursery nurses would be taking him from me too soon. After less than a minute they picked him up and rushed him over to their station that had been set up in our room. I realized I was shaking and crying, feeling the most overpowering sense of love I had ever felt in my life. I looked up at my husband who stood by my side, holding my hand. It was only then that I saw him wiping away tears. This moment shared between the two of us, the moment where we fell in love with our son, will forever be one of my favorite memories. 

2. Coming home to him. Or really any time where he sees me after any amount of seperation. No matter how long it was that we were apart, seriously even if it was just a car ride where I didn't sit next to him, he is always so ecstatic to see me. Every morning when I open his door he acts as though I'm Santa Clause! He screams my name in joy as I go to pick him up, laughing and hugging me. It's as though every time he's surprised and relieved to see me. If I ever doubt that I mean something to the world all I would need to do is get welcomed home by my son. 

3. When kisses make it all better. This kid falls several times a day, sorry for passing that gene on to you, and while most of the time he brushes it off without a second thought there are times he either gets scared or hurt. Those times when he begins to cry and I rush over to scoop him up, he holds on tight to me. I almost always remember that ouchies need kisses, but in the rare instances I forget he looks up at me with complete trust telling me 'Kisses! Kisses!' and he'll lift wherever is hurt for me to kiss. And then, just like that, he's ready to play again. Magic!

4. Wanting to show me everything. This is a bit of a double edged sword. On one side it's completely exhausting and time consuming. However, if I let myself really live in the moment and try to see the world through his eyes.... those are some of the best times. Having a toddler has meant rediscovering the world I thought I knew. It's looking at every rock, airplane, and flower like it's the most amazing wonder there has ever been. If I let myself slow down and really be with him in these moments the world becomes a more beautiful place.