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Sunday night while I was getting ready for bed, I heard Newbie start wailing from his room.  He's done this a little bit lately, so I didn't think much of it when I saw the Hubs slip into Newbie's room to check on him.  Five minutes later, when I made it back to my bedroom, Newbie was sitting in bed with the Hubs, looking up at me with a grin.

The Hubs: "Tell Momma what you did..."

The boy: "Mommy, Mommy- fall bed, bonk a da head!"

Yes. He. Did. 

The Hubs said he walked into Newbie's room and found him sitting on the floor by his crib saying he "bonk a da head...fall bed" with big, sappy eyes. Looks like we've got a little Bear Grylls on our hands.  Where did our baby boy go?!

So last night when the Hubs got home from work, it was big boy bed time.  Newbie got out his tools and helped his daddy convert his crib into a big boy toddler bed. 

(Yes, we are rocking Elmo pj pants and a Curious George t-shirt.  Its how we roll on Mondays.)

Jubilee helped.

(Baby has mad tape measuring skills.)

The pregnancy hormones were raging while I watched them dissemble the crib I had tucked Newbie into so many nights in a row.  Flashbacks to the sweet little baby boy I brought home from the hospital played through my mind.

As I pictured his little self swaddled up on the mattress or those sleepy eyes and bald head smiling up at me behind the binky through the crib slats early in the morning, my heart squeezed in gratitude that I was blessed to do it once- bring home a little pink baby and tuck him into bed. 

(image created by http://www.trudyholtzphotography.com/)

And I decided if I knew then what I know now- about how babies are one of God's greatest miracles and about how they don't stay babies for always- and if I'm ever given the blessing of bringing home a tiny pink baby again, I would do more to savor those precious days...

(Image created by http://www.trudyholtzphotography.com/)

I would kiss those tiny toes an extra twenty times each time I saw them.

I would rest my nose against that downy hair a little longer and breathe in the smell of newness long after baby fell asleep on my shoulder.

During those late night feedings, when I could barely stumble to the nursery for all the lack of sleep, I would cuddle that little bundle while we rocked and nursed, and I would drink in that I had a little someone to care for in the wee hours of the night.

I would swoon over each little outfit that came out of the dryer- no matter the pile of laundry waiting in line.

When I looked at the monitor and saw a little roly poly six month old turning 360's on his mattress and wailing for Momma, I would jump out of bed and not feel guilty about breaking the rules that one book and my doctor gave me about just letting him cry.  I would rub his back and sing to him and rock him until he fell asleep without second guessing how snuggling a crying baby at night would ruin bedtimes forever...don't they know that babies don't keep?

I would still follow all the rules- no bumpers in the crib, don't eat strawberries until you're 12 months old, no stuffed animals while baby sleeps, don't use fancy laundry detergent, make sure the carseat clip is up by baby's shoulders- but once I had done those things, I would hand Jesus all the bits and pieces of worry and what-if's, and I would breathe deep and just enjoy.

I did all of these things, knowing Newbie would grow up fast, but I didn't know how fast the time would go, and I think if I get to do it again, I would just do each of them more. 

More snuggles in the rocker.  More kissing the toes.  More stroking that baby-fine hair.  More thanking Jesus for every. single. moment. More smiles while diaper changing- less gagging. =) 

And then I look out across the living room and you know what?  My baby isn't all that grown up.  I still have time to do more.  More snuggling, more toe kissing, more hair stroking, more thanking Jesus for every single moment.  And today, that's what I'm setting out to do- with both of my littles.  My big boy and my little baby bump.  More stories, more smiles, more laughs, more claiming today as the day the Lord has made- one we will rejoice and be glad in. More fighting for joy in each and every single moment.

Bring on the big boy bed and more of the moments that whisper, Thank you, Lord, for right now- for this day that You've made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it!

This is the day the Lord has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Hoping you find time today to slow down and do more.  More drinking in deep of today and savoring the now.  More thanking. More enjoying. More loving. More living.

Here's to more! =)