Parenting is full of rewarding moments. Some of them are easier to explain that others. There's the day that your kid excels on the field and you get to yell, "That's MY girl!" There's the day that they do well on something at school. Lots of things. Obvious things.
But then there are those little things that you can't really explain. Life would be complete without those little things, but they make life a bit more completer. (It's definitely a word.)
One of the best of those little moments happened with Mila the other day. There's no video or photos to lock up the memory so that I can hold it tight, but I suppose that's what this space is for. It's here so I can try to put words to those little things.
Not that words can describe that moment. They can't.
But if I were to try to wrap the English language around sixty seconds that I hope stay with me for a long time, I would start by using words to describe how tiny little Mila is addicted to napping in my arms. She can nap in many other places, but in my arms is her drug of choice. She curls up in a tiny little ball, gently rests her eyelashes on her cheeks, and drifts away. Her little breaths come softly as her tiny fingers wrap around the neckline of my shirt.
Naps are pretty fantastic.
But this particular nap was better than fantastic. I don't know what was happening between those tiny ears, but it must have been some sort of happy dream. A little smile spread across Mila's face, even as her eyelashes continued to rest on her cheeks. As the smile began to fade, her lips spread and she softly whispered, "Momma."
They were the two most perfect syllables ever uttered. The danced through the air filled with emotion. Do babies know what love is? I'm not sure, but I know those two syllables were filled to the brim with love and adoration.
Then she smiled again.
Then she repeated the best two syllables.
And then another smile.
Around the third or fourth time that the corners of her mouth crept upwards, Mila's eyelashes fluttered. She gazed up, locked eyes with me, and continued the dance between saying "Momma" and softly smiling.
And then it was done. Just as suddenly as the moment started, it ended. The eyelashes went back to resting, Mila's breathing fell into a restful cadence, and she fell silent.
It was as if it had never happened, but it did happen. And I will remember it.
