Moments

Do you ever just have those moments where you are so grateful to be a MOM?

I've been having them quite often lately.  Nothing out of the ordinary, no amazing life changing story made me have these moments.

Just....... life. Life with a one year old.  Examples of "my moments": 

Took Bentley to a play group with some moms in my ward, which she loves of course.  Every few minutes she would stop what she was doing, drop the toys, and wobble on over to me to give me a hug. Then, just as fast as her chubby little arms squeezed me, she was right back onto the next fun thing.

The way she brings me her books umpteen times in a day, crawls up on my lap, and loves to be read to.

The way she kisses my knees better after she bites them.

How she only says "Mama" when she needs me.  The rest of the time, its "Dada" and she thinks it's funny to say Dada even when I ask her to say Mama.  

How she stands in the tub just to hear me say "Sit on your BUM!" and laughs and then sits down hard enough to just about splash all the water out of the tub and onto me. I don't even mind. 

How she clicks her tongue to say "tickle tickle"

The way she somehow knows when I'm down and will give me a long hug and endless (wet) open mouth kisses.  

The way she grins when she signs "Please"

The realization that it finally clicked in her little head that being "nice nice" means no pulling hair, biting, or scratching.  She will flatten out her hands, put them on my cheeks, and be soft.

I love being a Mom.  It has changed me in ways I never even knew existed.  I'm so grateful to be this sweet little girl's mom, and for my own mother as well.  I'm grateful for good friends who are awesome moms with awesome kids.  It's moments like these that remind me what this life is all about.  I can only hope that I am doing things right with my daughter, and that somehow, she will always love me as much as she does right now.