Grace and I have been on the go a lot lately. We have been burning the candle at both ends for weeks now and we're both tired. On top of that, being in her late 3's, Grace is gradually saying goodbye to afternoon naps. We are now at the point of lying down on the couch, putting on a Barney video and "resting." She invariably falls asleep still but it is getting shorter and shorter. So naps are precious quiet moments for both of us.
Today, Grace did her usual. I could tell she was very tired, we had been at the park for an event with the Early Years Centre all morning. She lied down on the couch, watching her favourite (de jour!)Barney video and I wasn't at all surprised that she fell asleep within minutes. She slept for an hour, a great nap for her, so when she woke up crying I just came into the living room to comfort her like usual. We chatted for a few minutes on the couch and then I asked her " Do you want Cozy Blanket to snuggle a bit more?" Her response, yes. So we covered up with Cozy and snuggled in on the couch. She fell sound asleep in my arms.
For over an hour I sat there, holding my girl. I watched out the window as a hummingbird visited each flower in my garden, feeling the warmth of the summer sun on my legs, all while Grace caught up on some much needed sleep.
What Grace wasn't aware of was how my heart was filling up more and more every moment we snuggled together. Because for those of you that know us well, you probably know that sleep is just not Graces thing. She doesn't sleep well, doesn't sleep long and doesn't like to go to sleep. So to get an hour with her sleeping in my arms was like heaven on earth for me. I know that she's growing up at the speed of a wild fire, and these days of sleeping in my arms are fleeting. I couldn't tell you when the last time it happened was so like I said, this may very well have been the last time ever.
So I cherished it. I didn't think about the dishes in the sink, the laundry waiting to be folded or the camping supplies still sitting at the front door. I thought about how I was spending the afternoon and I couldn't help but think how I would have spent this same afternoon four years ago. I would probably have been doing something way more fun, way more exciting. Maybe having lunch on a patio downtown in the city, maybe traveling somewhere with friends, reading a great book on the back deck or just puttering around in the garden. Definitely something more exciting than sitting on the couch. Now, almost three years in, there is nowhere I would rather be than sitting on the couch with my biggest love sleeping in my arms on a lazy summer afternoon. True happiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment