breathing him in – east bay area child photographer

images by shalina

his birthday approaches with vigor, since the day he turned four all he has wanted is to turn… five. he is a sweet soul, full of snuggles and love. he is much like me, sensitive and reflective – and i’d like to think he’ll make an amazing husband some day. tonight, like most weekend nights he got to fall asleep in our bed. as i cleaned up the kitchen he asked, “mama come snuggle?” i hear this question many times during the day; and often i am so busy with luke, or work, or my to-do list, that his request isn’t full-filled. i snuck in there finally and my heart sank as i noticed he wasn’t wiggling around anymore. i slid into the covers and with his eyes closed, a smile slowly spread across his face. he reached for my arm and whispered softly “you smell like roses mama“. swoon, my darling boy. we spoke about our favorite parts of the day, talked about what we are thankful for, and said our prayers. i ran my fingers through his hair as his breath fell into a steady rhythm. with so many children out there struggling with life threatening illnesses – my heart was heavy and my pillow soaked… i am so thankful to have these healthy boys. the days can sometimes feel so long and daunting, as young mothers we give, and give, and give. sometimes it takes everything in me to breathe deeply and push forward. then moments happen like tonight, out of nowhere i was given perspective, seeing my blessings with new eyes. as we lay nose to nose, i breathed him in, and he was fast asleep.

moments like this are a treasure and i embrace them with everything i have.