Popping In

Marley loves her Mom. Maybe it's a nursing or weaning-of-nursing thing, but she usually prefers Mom's arms. She wants to eat meals from her lap, not so much the high chair. If she wakes at night, she will not settle until she's had enough Mommy cuddling opportunity. Indeed, rare are the times that she reaches out to me from those arms. However, there is one consistent time of day when I get my due. She runs to me when I get home from work. Usually trailing Marigold and KC, but she's back there running along to greet me. It's pretty nice. Today, when I got home she was in Mom's arms on the other side of the kitchen island. I made it into the heart of the kitchen before she fully realized I was there. She pushed those loving arms away to be let down. She ran the few steps right into my own arms and melted. Her legs and arms wrapped around me and her head tucked into my neck like we were two pieces of a puzzle. And when she got there, I could just feel all of the tension of her little body resolve. I had to pause in that moment today, and I could've lived there forever, but for the tugging on my arms by big sister. Marigold gives a good welcome home hug, too.