Sleep Tight

Chloe,
Tonight Daddy is out at dinner with Ken. *Hi Sandy! We wish you were here!!*
I think this was the first night it's just been us girls. We missed daddy.
As I rocked you in our favorite chair, you nuzzled your body into the crook of my arm and lovingly sighed. I love your contented sigh. It is rare for you to be so calm, so I sat there, rocking you back and forth, wanting to stay there for all of eternity...trying to think of a good reason to delay your bedtime further and keep you from the sleep that so desperately eludes you.

As I looked around your room, every object my eyes settled on was born from love. For you. There was so much hope and anticipation that went into making your room perfect for you. I remember the day we painted your room (it was the hottest day of the year!)... Every stroke of the roller and bead of sweat (ok, ok more like a gush) brought me closer to you. All the little outfits I folded before your arrival, I pictured you in each of them. I wondered what you'd look like, would you have blonde hair or black?

From the pom poms I made that hang from the ceiling (that you stare at for hours) to the paintings on the wall from your grandpa (made JUST for you!) to the baseboards your daddy so carefully placed. Your room already holds so many memories.

This stage of your life will pass. Soon you'll be reading me the books. Holding your own bottle. Our sacred rocking chair will become a desk and chair, your bedding will no longer be fit for a little princess, instead it will be fashioned after the latest teeny-bopper idol...the next Hannah Montana. (Lord help us). Your baby furniture will turn into big girl furniture, your pristine white dresser that mommy and daddy invested in will be covered in a plethora of marker and stickers and crayon (don't you dare, young lady!) and before I know it, you'll outgrow your rocket (seriously people. she has one!) and you'll want your own set of wheels. Knowing your mother, you'll probably request a BMW. Let's start with a bike first, what do you think? Training wheels too.

All too fast, the future flashed before my eyes.
With that, I carefully laid you into your crib on top of your velour lined sheet. Seriously. You live the high life. Our sheets are nothing special, but yours...are like sleeping on a marshmallow.

Again you give a contented sigh. You flash me one last grin, turn your head and proceed to close your eyes. I can't help but let out my own little sigh.
I can't wait to see what you become. I am excited to see you take on childhood with reckless abandon and become a fabulous adult. I can't wait to cheer you on while you play volleyball and softball and I can't wait to catch you when you fall. Literally and figuratively. We still have that walking thing to figure out before you can do too much else...

I hope you understand how much you are loved. How many people love you. The excitement and anticipation just for you. For your mommy, the excitement grows everyday. Every day you learn something new. Tomorrow morning, I'll come into your room and you will you shoot me the biggest, most fabulous toothless grin of the day...
However, no matter how excited you are to see me in the morning... I can guarantee there's someone that is just a little more excited.

Sleep Tight Pumpkin.