She Won’t Always Be This Little

This photo deserves recognition. The dark circles under my eyes, the bare face, and the still wet hair from the shower I snuck before bed last night.
Because she won’t always be this little, and she won’t always call out for me during the night. She won’t always fight bedtime and we won’t always bicker over who’s turn it is to go in and settle her.
She won’t always want to climb up on our bed to snuggle under the duvet and hog the pillows. I won’t always fight for space as her toes dig into the small of my back. She won’t always want me to stroke her soft curls as she drifts off in the crook of my arm. I won’t always get to wake up to the sunlight shining on her face beside me.
I hold these moments dear and honor how fleeting they are, because babies don’t keep.