Ten Months

It's always fleeting, this first year of life. The magical softness, the effortless cuddles and quiet times spent alone together with just the coos and the sound of your breathing mingled with theirs. So at 3:41 a.m. when The Fifth Element woke up again despite just having eaten I didn't mind picking her up out of her crib and holding her close.

We settled into the rocking chair in her nursery together. As she rested her head on my shoulder and made self-soothing sounds I held her still small, soft-haired head in my hands and thought, "Soon this will be gone. I will never have this moment back. She will not cuddle so easily in the next few months." How can it be that almost an entire year has already gone by?

As her breathing slowed and she shifted into a deeper sleep, I closed my eyes and just held her there taking in the scent of her. How I will miss this time. Sometimes it doesn't matter that it is the middle of the night or way too early morning. Sometimes it really is all about the moment and getting some quiet time between her and I. It feels like such a gift.