Mothers

Paige woke too early this morning.

I groaned when my mother brought her to me.

Paige had slept in Honey & Papa's large walk-in closet (we stayed overnight at my parents' last night; Ben is out of town). My mom said Paige talked in her sleep all night and had been awake for awhile talking to herself before bringing her to me. I think she might have a fever.

I stayed in bed, trying to hold onto the last remnants of sleep, while Paige lay next to me inhaling her morning sippy of milk (which my mother kindly fetched from the fridge). I was grumbling to myself about having to wake up so early (and on Mother's Day no less), anticipating the point when Paige would finish her milk and demand that I "GET UP!", when Paige suddenly stopped drinking, rubbed her hand gently across my face, and said seriously, "I love you, Mom." I smiled at her with my eyes closed. Then she cupped her little hands under my chin and demanded, "look at me." I opened my eyes. "I need to give you a kiss." And she planted one right on my lips.

I thought to myself, "she is totally worth it."

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Now I think I better go rub my mom's cheek, tell her I love her, and give her a kiss. She's making me pancakes right now. And probably got even less sleep than I did, since there was a little girl talking in her closet all night long.