The last time

As I reached for my daughter’s hand after school the other day, there was a pause before she reached back…This is a brand new thing, that pause. Not so long ago – like before Christmas break – it was an almost instantaneous mutual reach out whenever we were walking together. Within the space of that pause it made me think about all of the last times we experience with these little humans who occupy all the pieces of our hearts…If we knew in the moment it was the last time would we be sure to pay special attention? Hold on a little harder? Make sure to tuck it away in the memory bank where we’re sure we’ll never forget that precious moment?

This pause might have hit me right in the feels, yet I’m that mom who’s almost hyper-aware that eventually the moments we hold so precious won’t happen anymore – or if they do, they’re few and far between. And sometimes – let’s keep it real, here – those precious moments don’t always feel so precious, sometimes it’s the last thing we want to do at the end of a long, hard day (or smack in the middle of one). But it’s that fear of the last time that every time our girl pops back out of bed for “One more snuggle,” I go. Every. Blessed. Time. In fact…Now that I think of it, it’s been awhile since she’s done that, too...

It just goes to show, you never know when the last time will be.

So let’s consider this our little reminder to pay special attention to the little things and hold on tight to those moments because you never know when it might be the last time…

…you carry her up to bed.

…he falls asleep on your chest.

…she needs you to walk her to the gate at school.

…you feel that feather soft baby hair.

…he sneaks in your bedroom (probably scaring the bajeebies out of you) for a round of midnight cuddles.

…or bounces in for morning snuggles and cartoons.

…she wants you to sing her bedtime songs to her/with you.

…you hear his unique sleep noises from the foot of your bed (or snuggled in between you).

…she beautifully, imperfectly pronounces words like, “gobble, gobbles” instead of goggles or “pinnow” instead of pillow or “strawbabies” instead of strawberries or “hanitizer” instead of hand sanitizer…

…he grabs your face and smooches you on the lips, cheeks, all over your face.

…she needs help feeding herself/pouring her drink/washing or brushing the tangles from her hair.

…he needs your help building a LEGO.

…she chooses to wear a tutu, tiara, rainboots, and cape out and about.

…you will read a story out loud together.

The list could go on and on, couldn’t it? So what about you, what would you add to this list? We only get so many moments with none of the next promised us, let’s make the most of each of them.