Perspective

Many a young mom sacrifices numerous brain cells trying to figure out how to get her little baby to sleep well at night. Some aren't so concerned, but I was not such a mom when Luke was born. (Nor when Simon was born, for that matter!) Luke turned out to be a champion night-time sleeper at the fragile age of 7 weeks! I patted myself on the back on many occasions. But alas, alack, shortly after he turned 3 years old and we had moved (once again) to our cozy little condo in Carol Stream, Illinois, Luke entered a "phase" that he has yet to exit. Sometimes he cries in the night and wants someone to lie in bed with him; other nights he creeps into our bed unnoticed until morning time (or until Simon gets me up). But, I might be able to count on two hands the number of nights in the last year that Luke has slept in his bed alone. uninterrupted. all night. Imagine my horror - me, the mom whose baby slept like an angel at 7 weeks old. I have slowly begun to let go of this need for Luke to sleep perfectly still for 12 hours at night. I tell myself that he will not be needing (or wanting) to sleep with Mommy or Daddy forever. And tonight, I was reminded again. And it actually made me sad.

I was snuggling in bed with Luke after reading him bedtime stories. I prayed with him, and he begged me to tell him the story of when I was five and rode on the high swings at the carnival. For some reason, I was holding my hand up in the air, and he wanted to put his against mine. My short, stubby fingers are still much longer than Luke's precious 4-year-old hands. But One day, I told him, before you know it, your hands are going to be even bigger than Mommy's. And by that time, I thought to myself with a very long sigh, we won't be lying together at bedtime, measuring fingers. They tell me that this time will come before I know it. It doesn't seem possible, but I'm afraid it's true all the same.

full head of hair

Bye Bye curls! (They'll be back, since we only cut his hair about twice a year.)

I always love looking at the back of Simon's head. I think his neck is so cute. :)

This is what Simon looks like when he's not smiling. Still adorable.