This Too Shall Pass

We have all heard the saying "This too shall pass".  Usually it is used in reference to a bad situation in life, a stressful time, a time of sickness etc etc.  However, I have been thinking a lot about Caleb lately, and how I am viewing each day with him.  I long so much for my baby to stay little forever, however, I find myself waiting and watching constantely for the next developmental milestone.  I find myself so caught up in "what he will do", that I forget to stop and take in "what he is doing now".  I find myself wishing away his babyhood, with out even realizing I am doing so.  I really began to realize these things as I sat and played with him this morning, as I tried to teach him to roll, as I continuously said "DaDa" or "Hey" in hopes that he would repeat back to me.  I was so caught up in trying to help him grow that I forgot to just sit and watch him. 

If I would have just sat and watched him I would have noticed him grab for his favorite toy, smile really big when he made his monkey play music, noticed as he started to fall back but used his abs to catch his fall, I would have seen him look at me and smile because I was there.  I would have been able to take in each little coo, whimper, and gaze that he gave me, but I was to occupied with how to teach him to develop faster.  Shame on me. 

I have come to the realization, just this morning, that Caleb has his whole life to be a big man, but he only has a short time to be my little baby.  I need to cherish my little baby while I have him, because I will have many more years with my big boy.  He has his whole life to..

• to talk.  I need to take in the sweet nothings of the baby coos, and talk back to him in gibberish and just share the moment.
• to crawl.  I only have a short time left when my little on will sit there and play with me, without being preoccupied to move across the room.  Let me take that in God please. 
• to feed himself.  Sure Caleb can feed himself his own bottle, but I only have a short time left in which I can hold him, and kiss him, and take in his sweet baby smell while he eats.
• to fall asleep alone.  Caleb has started wanting to be rocked to sleep just this past week.  At first I protested it, but now I realize that I need to take in the moments where I can hold my sweet baby.  Where he can lay his head on my chest, I can hum to him, kiss his head, smell him and just take in holding my world in my arms.  I know there will come a day when he will no longer let me hold him and I will miss these days.
• to comfort himself when he is upset.  Right now Caleb needs me.  He needs me to cuddle him when he is tired, he needs me within his sight during the day, and he needs me to hold and love him when he is upset.  Even if that is in the middle of the night.  I know that one day he will no longer cry for me when he is hurting, but will take all the burdens on his self.  I will long to be his mama who can fix everything once again, and I really need to take these moments in.
• to have a mouth full of teeth. I know he will start teething soon, and I need to take in each gummy smile that he gives me while it lasts.

My baby has his whole life to grow up and become the wonderful man that I know he will be.  However, right now he is perfectly happy being the little baby that he is, the one who smiles, laughs and loves me more than I have ever been loved before. 

I need to start enjoying everything baby that my little man has to offer, because these days too shall pass. 

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