Mental Snapshots

I read a book many years ago with a main character who talked about freezing certain perfect moments in his mind forever. I've taken a few of those mental snapshots over the past few days. Like Saturday when we took Landon to our community pool and he got so excited about the water and the babies everywhere that he just flapped both his hands in the air and made squeaking sounds for thirty minutes. He spent the next thirty trying to reach out to touch any babies that might come near him, splash the water, stick his head in the water, and look up at us with big smiles- it was pure joy on his face. And last night when I was snuggling with him upstairs in the recliner and I kissed his chubby little cheeks and he giggled and then JP, who was sitting on the floor by us, leaned over and kissed his other check and Landon was giggling full-bellied giggles of delight. Or yesterday morning when the boys let me sleep in and then presented me with breakfast tacos on a tray in bed. When I lifted up my head when they walked in with the tray, Landon gave me such a big smile and looked so very pleased with himself, like the whole thing had been his idea. I thought it was a perfect moment for our first morning in our new home.

Having a baby has made me better about living in the moment. I used to be all about countdowns and I spent a lot of my time looking towards something else. With Landon I'm constantly reminded that every day he gets a little older, a little less snuggly, a little more independent. I'm excited about watching him grow up and I share in his excitement over his new skills, so his progression from baby to little boy doesn't so much make me sad as it keeps me focused on savoring the present.