Stay. Giggles. Sleep.

I have been putting Isaac to bed almost every night lately. Eli is in a phase of only wanting Ryan to put him to bed, so Isaac and I get the sweet privilege of bedtime routines. We always read a book (and he always picks the longest books!), then sing a song (Jesus loves the little Isaacs, all the Isaacs of the world...), then I tell him that he is my favorite brown-eyed boy in the whole world. After hugs and kisses and goodnights, he looks at me with those big brown eyes, cradles my face in his little boy hands and says, "I want you to stay for me." And then before I can answer he holds up one finger and says, "just one more minute." And I am pretty certain that there isn't a person in the world who could say no to that. So I stay. I lay my head down and hug him tightly, knowing these days are numbered.

And just before I burst into tears every night from all the sweetness, Isaac inevitably starts giggling. Every. Single. Time. And his giggle is absolutely infectious. After he giggles for a second I tell him that his minute is over and mommy has to leave. But there is always a part of me that wants to stay forever and never let him grow up. 

At last he sleeps. The sweet, deep sleep of little boys who play hard all day. 

I'm so thankful for the gift of this little boy!