The World Stopped

Two nights ago, Gracie woke up crying.  She never wakes up at night.  It was around 11:00 and I was exhausted.  I waited a few minutes but she did not stop.  I quietly walked in her room and took her to my bed.  I held her in my arms and she nestled into my body.  She started to fall asleep so I took her back to bed and shut the door behind me. 

A few minutes later she woke up again.  I let her cry for a bit, but again, she would not stop.  She began calling my name.  As exhausted as I was, it was mommy to the rescue.

I brought her into bed with me and held her in my arms like she was a newborn.  Her long eyelashes fluttered as she fought to keep her eyes open.  Her big blue eyes stared deeply into mine.  She took long deep breaths.  I was all she needed.  She felt safe, secure, and loved in my arms.  Withing a minute she was sleeping.  Every care of my day was gone in that moment.  The world stopped.  As I watched her sleeping in my arms I was reminded of the day she was born.  I remembered carefully taking the precious moment in, just as I was doing again. 

Every so often she would move her little body to get more comfortable in my arms.  Eventually, she flipped over and her chest was against mine.  I watched her body move up and down with each breath she took.  She stayed there for an hour and I savored every moment of it.  When I put her back in her crib she was finally content.  As tired as I was, I was so thankful for her restless night.  It brought peace to mine.