Precious Moments

I went to visit a friend tonight for our weekly Bachelor date night. Walking through the door at 10:10, or whatever time it was, I did not expect to get so much exercise! Claire has an ear infection, and has not been sleeping very well the past few nights. Tonight, definitely no different, maybe a little worse even. I came downstairs after DH resorted to bed (he needs to be up for 4am), to start writing my blog. No longer than 30 seconds and Claire is up (I guess she got up for the first time about five minutes before I arrived at home). So, I go up not one, but TWO flights of stairs to see what the issue is.....bathroom. Back downstairs I travel, down those two flights, sit down for maybe half a second and she is up again. This proceeds for about half an hour. Finally as she is sitting on the steps I hear her tummy grumbling.....ah, yes, she's hungry, makes perfect sense. Two pieces of bread, half a banana, and a glass of milk later, I think, perfect...she should be just fine. HA! I get back downstairs sit down, and can't even grab the laptop before she is up again. Boy, oh boy.....I'm getting a little frustrated at this point.....hold that thought, she is getting up RIGHT NOW.....Ok.....forget it...I am done with this for tonight....it's been two hours and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. So, I shall make my point and be done. Despite all the frustration of this evening, with the constant up and down, I am really trying to remember that these moments are precious, even if I feel like ripping my hair out wondering why she won't go to sleep, they really are precious. I mean, in all reality, these are just the everyday, ordinary moments that, when she has moved on in her life, I will long to have again, but will never be able to. Wow, that strikes me even more as I type this.....so, off I go to comfort and hold her, to ease her into sleep, and not even with a hint of grudgery, but rather a tear in my eye realizing that this moment will never be returned to me. Claire, mommy  loves you!