Unconditional Love

Last night Lincoln refused to go to sleep in his bed. After several minutes of crying I gave up and laid him next to me in my bed, “Time to go night, night,” I told him.

He snuggled up on my shoulder and stared up at me. I grabbed out my book and began reading.

“Mama?” he asked.

“What baby?” I said still reading my book.

“I love you” he said.

“I love you too baby”

“Mama?” he asked.

“Yes baby?”

“Night, night” he said snuggling a little closer.

He continued telling me stuff for the next 15 minutes, saying he loved me, or about his toys, or that he was going night, night. As I flipped through the pages of my book, I responded to him without really listening.

“Mama?” he said.

“Yes baby?”

“Mama look, look” he begged and I looked down at him giving me a cheesy grin.

“You’re so beautiful baby” I told him in reply and he really was.

He lifted his hands up to my face and brushed my skin, “mama pretty” he said and he pointed at my eyes, “pretty eyes”.

My heart melted as his little eyes fluttered shut and he fell asleep with his little hand still touching my face and his other one holding my hand.

I am always wishing time away, hoping it will go by faster, wanting my work day to end or anticipating the next paycheck. As Lincoln laid there, I wanted time to freeze and for that moment it felt as though it had.

When he was sleeping deep enough, I carried him to his room, but I couldn’t get myself to put him to bed. So, I sat on the floor and held him close. I felt completely overwhelmed with unconditional love and pure happiness.