Rock-a-Bye Baby

I'm writing to say farewell to a very special stage of our lives: rocking our baby before bed. About six months ago, it was pretty obvious that Saylor was over the whole rocking at bedtime thing, but she still kindly obliged because I would ask so nicely if she would come snuggle with her momma. She would fold her long legs up into a fetal position so that her legs didn't hang too far off the chair and we would rock and sing a few songs before I put her in her bed. Actually I would usually sing one and then she would sing it back to me. She would say "you don't sing it again, I sing all by self". But for about the last month--since we put her in her toddler bed--she's been just too big to cuddle in our laps and rock. Now we finish praying and she just runs and hops in her bed.

I loved rocking her. Well, usually. Of course there were the nights when she was smaller that she had fussy nights and I couldn't wait to put her back in her crib so I could put my own zombie body back to bed. Those are the nights I carefully watched her fall asleep and then contemplated if she was in a deep enough sleep that I could maybe slowly tiptoe her back to her crib without waking her up and starting the whole exhausting process over again. What I wouldn't give to have one or two of those nights back. Just occasionally!! Nothing like a sleeping baby in your arms!

Now she's big and independent and I absolutely love this stage too. I just miss rocking my baby!