Cuddle

At about 3:30 pm today, I was rushing around doing all the things that need to be done while the kids are napping - empty the dishwasher, put the wash in the dryer, wipe up the spilled milk under the dining room table, eat something, pick up the toys sprawled all over the floor, the usual. As I hurried up the stairs with a large basket of laundry, I heard a sad whimper escape from Emily's room. This was a bit of a surprise to me since Emily almost always wakes up from her nap extremely happy. I put down the hamper and looked into Emily's room, only to find a very sad little girl standing in her crib. She wasn't crying or screaming but the look on her face was heartbreaking. I walked over, reassuring her that everything was OK. Her immediate response was to simply raise her arms, wanting me to pick her up. Of course I did and she melted into me. I am not sure what happened or why she woke up sad and tired and upset, but at that moment, all she wanted was a hug. Something so simple that I was happy to oblige. I sat down in the rocking chair next to the crib and rocked Emily as she nestled into me. I could feel her breath on my skin and her arms loosely surrounding me. Her head balanced on my shoulder as her hair tickled my cheek. The weight of her body grounded me. She smelt like home. At one point, she turned her head and shyly looked up. Our eyes met; she smiled with glee, wrapped around me even tighter and laid her head back down. My eyes filled with tears. At that moment, this was what we needed, and we rocked there silently for the next few minutes.