Momma, Hold You.

Hold on everyone...I'm going to get a little bit sentimental and serious today. 

In the past month, Elyse's vocabulary has gone from one word speaking where we still fought to understand one simple word to consistent 2 word phrases to even a few sentences thrown in here and there that are completely understandable.  However, that doesn't mean that she has all the grammar down, nor does she understand pronouns completely. 

From when Elyse was just a tiny little baby, I tried really hard to not hold her ALL the time and to let her play on her own so I could help develop an independent young lady.  And honestly, I'm pretty proud of the fact that we have little Miss Independent on our hands and for the most part she is happy as a lark to play by herself for an extended period of time.  Of course sometimes that independence has come back to bite me...ha! 

For the past couple of days Elyse been acting a little clingy and I'm not sure if it's because she doesn't feel good or if it's because she is just going through a brief phase. And the clingyness is mainly associated with me, her momma.  So, whenever she wants her momma she comes up to me with those bright blue eyes and says...Momma, Hold You. 

Like I said, she doesn't understand the whole difference between me & you.  All she knows is that many times in her life, someone has looked at her and said..."Elyse, do you want me to hold you?"  All she knows is that "hold you" has some amazing, comforting effects and that she enjoys the result of "hold you."  All she knows is that whenever she says "hold you" that someone she loves and adores scoops her up into their arms and provides support and comfort in a way that she can get nowhere else. 

And now let me confess something, there have been many times in her short little life when she comes up to me and says "Momma, Hold You" and I was busy fixing dinner or doing laundry or just whatever it might be and I replied with...Elyse, Hold on--Momma, Hold you in a minute.  And many times, that minute became two or ten or thirty or sixty and my precious daughter moved on from needing to be held at that exact minute.  Because let's be honest, she's almost two and her needs change from one fleeting moment to the next. 

However, I've realized in the past few clingy days as we inch closer and closer to her 2nd birthday, that it's not always Elyse that needs to be held.  And while her grammar is a little confused as she requests to be held, it may be more perfect that I even realized.   Because as that tiny little voice looks up at me and says..."Momma, Hold You" many times it really is Momma who needs to slow down, to sit and just be held for a bit.  It's Momma who needs to be comforted and loved on by her precious little girl, who certainly won't be a little girl forever.  It's Momma who needs to just chill out, relax, and take some time to enjoy the cuddles and soft pats that five tiny little fingers can provide.  And it's Momma who needs to not worry about having a perfectly picked up house, or making a new recipe, or running errands...because sometimes I just need to stop and be held. 

So...as the holidays near, my goal is to stop for just a few short seconds and be held.  And to hold.  And to cuddle my baby girl when she needs it or even when I know she really doesn't, but she just wants it.  And if I'm really honest, I want it to...to be held, and to allow my baby girl to hold me whenever she wants.  Because I never, ever want to forget these moments when my blue eyed baby girl looks up at me and says..."Momma, Hold You." Melt. My. Heart.