Savoring the Moment

When I began this blog I had no intention of making it another momblog. I knew that I would write about Declan because he is such a vital part of my life and a very large part of my daily existence, but that wouldn't be the focus of the blog. Somehow it's taking a life of its own, however, and I feel compelled to write about Declan again today. If you're tired of hearing about the kid, go ahead and stop reading now. I won't be offended, really.

At approximately 4:20 a.m., Declan climbed into my bed coughing and telling me that he felt hot. This is not a common occurrence in our house. I am fortunate that Declan was never one of those children that would get up and want to come in your room after he was put to bed. Once Declan was tucked into his bed, he never fussed and almost immediately fell asleep. This has not changed over the years. If he comes into my room in the middle of the night, there's something wrong. A bad dream is very rare. Sometimes a tummy ache or coughing will bring him in, generally in the wee hours of the morning. I think when he comes in, he usually asks whether he can get into the bed before climbing in, but, to be honest, I'm usually so groggy with sleep that I'm not sure, and I can also say that I'm too tired to say no.

So this morning when he came in, I felt his head and found it to be quite warm. I got up, grabbed a thermometer, took his temperature (102 degrees) and gave him some Advil. I resigned myself to the fact that this meant we'd be home with a sick day, then crawled back into bed. Declan immediately scooted over to snuggle up alongside of me and pulled my hand over to rest on his belly. I smiled at this tiny gesture filled with affection and went back to sleep. (Well, really, I tried to go back to sleep while the boy coughed and took deep wheezing breaths next to me.)

We saw the doctor today and received a round of antibiotics and medicine to treat congestion and keep those really evil things like bronchitis and pneumonia away. So we're on our road to recovery. Still, when Declan was putting on his pajamas and getting ready for bed he asked if he could sleep in my bed tonight because he was still "feeling a little bit bad." I didn't give it a second thought. "Sure," was my response. He gave me a big smile and a "Yay!" then began the process of deciding which one of his menagerie of stuffed animals would join him.

Declan will turn 8 in less than two months. Not a night goes by without good night hugs and kisses. He doesn't hesitate to grab the hand I hold out when we're walking across a parking lot or street. When I take him to school, he likes me to come in, have breakfast and then walk him to class instead of allowing him to walk in by himself from the drop-off line. When I leave him at the front door of his classroom, I get hugs and big full lip smooches good-bye, often with a request for just one more. More than one mom has told me that they were envious because their child won't even let them kiss them good-bye or be affectionate in public.

Declan still wants to be hugged and snuggled. He doesn't yet care whether or not it's "cool" to kiss your mom. I am so lucky. I plan on savoring every moment--every hug, every kiss, and every minute spent snuggling--because not only does it make me smile, I know it won't last forever

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