growing

I sat on the couch this morning wrapped in a soft down blanket with a little boy on my lap who is suddenly not so little anymore.  His cheeks are thinning.  He teeth are growing in.  He plays with toys and stands up to walk along the furniture.  He can drink from a straw.  As I looked down at his sleeping face, my heart broke just a little bit.  I wondered to myself if perhaps my heart gets so full of love that it has to break to make room for more?  I don't know why I was blessed with such abundance.  My heart is so full of love for all of my "babies" that it continues to stretch and crack and grow as the days go on.  I can't believe Oliver is nine months old tomorrow.  Nine months.  What am I going to do when I don't have a tiny hand to hold or a baby babbling at my feet as I make dinner?   I am even more determined to shower him with kisses, to snuggle his soft body as he sleeps, and to soak up his babyness as much as possible.  It just goes too fast.

My heart is full to the breaking point.  I am grateful--so very grateful for all that I have.  Especially the four small children that call me mom.