It’s 2:28 am and I hold his fevered body. He’s hot but he also just wants to cozy so close on my chest. I stroke his hair and sing his favorite Italian lullaby softly. After thinking on this for a moment, I decide it’s really my favorite. It’s about a mommy rocking her baby to sleep.

The idea of my bed sounds so incredible right now. As Mommies, sometimes we don’t get that incredible feeling. In just 3 short hours my alarm will be waking me up to start my workday. The Working Mama gig isn’t for the faint of heart… regardless of if your job takes you to an office or keeps you home. We’re all Working Mama’s and it requires only the highest form of bad-assery and a little magic.

Through the sleeplessness and the chaos-filled days, sweet Mama’s, remember, the nights are long but the years are short. In the blink of an eye our babies are going to be off and running on their own. Chasing the bus, the dream and the girl. Catching the plane, landing the job, marrying the boy. They will be busy holding all-nighters while us Mama’s are holding all the memories.

I look down at my sweet, now sleeping little boy holding tight to his stuffed Lamby. I used to worry about him wanting to carry Lamby everywhere and how we would teach him to let go. Now I worry much less about him and more about me. How do we teach ourselves to let go? How do we let them fly and let them soar without clinging too tight? Maybe in the wee small hours of the morning I’m getting ahead of myself- but maybe not. The nights are long but the years are short. Pre-school is just around the corner. A lump forms in my throat and I snuggle him closer.

We spent 18 months praying desperately for this tiny human before we were able to conceive him. I’m going to spend the rest of my life, to my last breath, praying prayers only Mama’s can pray over his life. I think maybe those 18 months was God conditioning my praying soul for what the rest of my life would hold.

His fevered body is resting so cozy and peaceful in my arms now. Shout out to Tylenol and DōTerra’s essential oils for coming in clutch tonight. He’s sleeping but I can’t bring myself to put him back in his bed. He won’t need me rocking him forever.

The nights are long but the years are so very short. Hang in there sweet Mama’s. They won’t be small forever. The stages pass as the years go by. Find something in each stage to be grateful for- even the really hard ones… especially the really hard ones.

Cuddle your babies so tightly sweet Mama’s and hang in there. One day they won’t need us anymore- until that day, relentlessly enjoy every single moment. Sending out all the sleep-deprived love today… and a huge shoutout to Starbucks for keeping me fueled.