How It Should Have Been

Saturday night after the cake was put away and the the last of the guests had left Little E woke up crying. It had been a long day with nothing that counted as a true afternoon nap and it was hot in her room. To settle her back down I laid down on the bed with her for a quick snuggle. She drifted in and out of sleep often turning her head into mine so close our faces touched. Shazam joined us and we lay in the bed together with Little E snuggled between us. We whispered about the day and kissed our dear daughter's head, and face and hands. We admired the amazing creature that is our daughter. Every once and a while her eyes would flutter open and she would smile at us. At some point I realized this is how it should have been. This is what our first night should have been like. This is what I morn. A year ago we should have been snuggled in a hospital bed with Little E between us in awe of her perfection. I didn't get it our first night but I did 365 nights later. I still miss that first night but somehow after all we have been through our time together on her birthday eve may be more precious.