daughter mio

Last night,  3:18 a.m. I heard a "Maaaaammaaa!" sneak under the door, down the hall, and into my ears. Since becoming one of those--a mama-- my ability to awake at the slightest anything has developed into somewhat of a super power.  In her room, I found her sitting up at the top of her new (ish) big girl bed, blinking. "I'm awake!" Indeed.

She wanted to get out and play, but upon consideration decided it an equally appealing idea to crawl back under the covers and snuggle. And after making sure I had a stuffed animal to hug, and enough room on the pillow, she commenced stroking my face gently. "Mama, I like you."

There we lay, content and quiet in the dark, air going in and out of tiny nostrils and me thinking how full and happy my whole everything feels at moments like this, and whenever I stop to realize I really am her mom and this really is my life. Thinking she has drifted off, I sat up to leave. "Mama?"  Yes? "Mama thanks for snuggling me. I love you"

libraries, climbing trips, and chinese new year