I am usually the one who puts Maia to bed. It’s our time to read and snuggle and reconnect with one another, and even though I’m pretty sure nursing her to sleep is a no-no in terms of what I “should” be doing in order to get her to sleep through the night, well, I do it anyhow. And sleeping through the night will happen when it happens.
In any case, before I take her to bed, she must give goodnight kisses to Daddy. I always flop her over in my arms to do this so she’s hanging wildly away from me, swinging towards him with her head upside down, laughing and giggling. She doesn’t kiss him so much as he kisses her and she squeals, generally.
That is, until a few nights ago. She leaned forward to kiss him, then pulled herself up and kissed me. Then back to him, and back to me twice more, AND THEN I MELTED. It was the sweetest thing, as if she wanted to be certain that she got us both with her love.
Moments like that are the highlights of my life. I never thought that an open-mouthed, drooly, sloppy kiss from a baby would be such a wondrous thing, but it is.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
beautiful!
(I miss you!)
Oh, I am jealous. I have been trying to teach the baby to give kisses. She likes getting them, that’s for sure, but doesn’t lean over to give them. I know the day is coming, but I’m impatient.
Christa, she started off by kissing her daddy in the morning actually… took her awhile to warm up to me! Hmph.
Oh, sweet baby kisses. There’s really nothing better than that.
I love baby kisses. Moose gave me one tonight without me asking. It was the first time. I just about fell over.
So sweet!!!
So sweet! And yes baby kisses are the BEST! Lukas started giving kisses too now, he leans in a makes the kiss sound, it cracks me up.
And I don’t think you *should* or shouldn’t be doing anything in particular for the sleep thing. If you are happy with the status quo then there is nothing to change! Ignore the mtns of advice (from yours truly included:).
So sweet!!
My daughter’s new thing is when she wakes up in the morning, she scuttles away from me and gives her daddy big kisses right on the mouth. It’s CRAZY cute!!
My heart clenched when I read this. I wish wish wish Maia could be in our lives in ‘real’ life (and you too, of course). She sounds more fabulous and loving and funny and BIG GIRLED in every post you write.
I love her. Is that possible, because I never met her? But I do.
love this. My dd is at a similar stage, kisses, hugs. She crawls over and throws herself into our laps for hugs. It melts me everytime.
Also, the nursing to sleep? Still going on here. Seeing the babe with her eyes softly shut and a mouth open with a bit of milk drip? kills me.
Hi, I just found your blog and my daughter is 17 months and is starting to say, “I love you.” And when she says it, I melt. I am still nursing her to sleep to. I know in some circles it is a no-no but then in others, it is the right thing. So, I just gave up listening to others and I’ll just keep doing what is right for her.