Am I THE ONLY ONE...? #2

Am I the only one who was so glad the torture of infancy was over when my baby ham finally slept through the night, but now that she is turning one year old, I kind of miss the baby a little bit.

Yes, there are inconveniences when they are totally dependent on you, and it is great to see your child becoming more independent; crawling around the house with purpose, talking to you in their own language, recognizing you, standing up, demanding what they want when they want it.

Still, I miss the times when I could hold her in my arms for as long as I wanted. Gaze at her face. Kiss her a million times without being pushed away. Put her down in one place, and know that she’d be there when I got back.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to go backward - but now that she is growing up, I miss some of what used to drive me crazy. Fortunately, that makes me want to really cherish what is before me right now:
*The way she moves when she crawls.
*The way she sometimes sounds Korean when she is barking out indecipherable instructions to me.
*The way she shrieks and laughs when she finds something funny.
*The way she reacts to music, bopping her head and twisting her body freely, with no self-consciousnes whatsoever, just sheer enjoyment.
*The way her face brightens when I walk into the room when I hear her calling or crying for me in the morning.
*The way she snuggles her head onto my shoulder when I pick her up from the crib.
*The way she points at things now, wanting me to give them a name.
*The ways she bursts with glee when my partner comes home from work.
*The way she plays peek-a-boo, when she is barely hidden, and is so joyful when I pretend I can see her again.
*The way she tricks me into thinking she is going to share a Cherrio with me, then laughs when she pulls her hand back at the last minute.
*The way she ‘cow bawls’ for something she wants, then breaks into a smile when I imitate her.

I could go on and on and on. She is amazing. Why waste time pining for moments past, when the present is just so rich, wonderful and delicious?