Climbing like a monkey,

Glee in his eyes.

He reaches for the item he wants,

Fearless in his desire to attain his goal.

I watch as he learns new things, as he grows and changes

Full of bittersweet emotion.

Joy that my little one is so happy, so curious and fun, and sorrow because this time is fleeting.

It was just yesterday he slept in my arms, snuggled in the warmth and dreaming away. 

Now he bursts with energy, unable to be cherished in such a small bundle, and unwilling to be held when there are adventures to explore.

Watching my children grow from babies to toddlers to school aged people with agency and drive is full of pride and wonder, but sometimes I long for the long endless nights of just myself holding them, feeling their warmth and milk-soft breath.

Marvelling at life’s small miracles each step of the way, I stop and try to capture the moments with a mental snapshot, and put it in my memory bank.

Then quickly he moves on to the next heartstopping activity, and the moment passes while I try to keep him safe for his future journeys