Tiny Moments

Today is a special day. Today is Ann Rainey's first birthday. This year has gone by so very quickly. It has had some good moments, some bad moments, and some downright struggles. But no matter what, getting to be this girl's momma is honestly the sweetest and most treasured blessing of my entire life.

Everyone tells you that time will fly once you become a parent. Nothing can ever prepare you for it. It feels like just yesterday when we were waiting for our Squidget to make her arrival. I remember waking up in the early AM hours being completely uncomfortable and going downstairs to watch Christmas movies. I remember my water breaking, though at the time I really didn't realize that was what was happening. Seriously though... But let me just point out that it is not at all as dramatic as the movies make it out to be. HA. That morning I went ahead and showered, waiting and timing the contractions. When JP's alarm went off at 3:30am I told him that he wouldn't be going to work today because we would be having a baby that morning. I am so glad that Ann Rainey is ours.

The last year has flown by but it has been made of tiny moments, memories that are forever ingrained in my mind. Tonight AR was exhausted and ready for bed way before her usual time because she didn't take an afternoon nap. We fought to keep her awake until 7 and she went straight into her bed and fell asleep. Less than 30 minutes later she was awake again, crying out terrified, most likely because of the bad weather we are having. I had been working in the living room so I tried to cuddle with her on the couch until she calmed down. Then we went into her room, turned on her music and enjoyed the scents from her diffuser. It is something we do nightly, something so familiar and so soothing(for her AND for me). We don't rock her to sleep anymore. Instead we read together, feed her a night time bottle, cuddle and sing for a few minutes. Then we place her in her bed and, on the nights she doesn't fall asleep quickly, she self soothes (Honestly, one of the best decisions we have ever made in this crazy thing called parenthood but that is another subject all together). But those tiny, perfect moments are what matters. There is plenty of lack of sleep, hard nights, laundry, tears with no explanation, and feeling completely helpless. But in those moments I know I am living out my purpose. I know that I am relevant and that I am making a difference, not to the world but in her world. Thankfully we have been blessed with the opportunity where work is flexible and it can wait so that I can enjoy those tiny moments. I hope I never take the little pieces of time for granted.