The way he sucks his thumb and cuddles his blankie. The way her hair falls along her cute two year old cheeks. The way she talks to her favorite bunny and asks you to cuddle before bedtime. You watch them sleep, you watch them play, you listen as they pretend, and your heart melts. You live for every smile, laugh, cuddle, and voice that calls you mother.

As years go by, you treasure the way they learn, grow, develop, and become their own unique person. You smile as he puts on his favorite hat, mispronounces a particular word, draws tow trucks and tanks, and pretends explosions are going off. Your heart swells as your girls play in their fort with Barbie’s, dinosaurs, and stuffed animals. You are thankful every day that God allowed you to have these three beautiful children to love and be loved by; to nurture and guide for these years. How incredible!

Reading stories, taking walks, playing games, rocking and cuddling, movie nights, silly songs, birthday parties, going swimming, swinging to touch the sky, making forts, playing dress up, playing cars and legos, playing music, seeing Santa, going shopping…such a long list.

Then it seems all of a sudden they are grown. They go to school, work, or move on. They have lives of their own and you are just so proud of all they have accomplished in their lives. All the hard work they put in during school, music lessons, relationships, peer pressure, sports, health issues; everything. They each have outstanding character. I still look at mine with the same joy-filled smile that makes my heart swell, and my eyes tear up. I just don’t get to cuddle them in the rocking chair anymore.