As I sit here, holding my baby, clutching her warm body close to mine and rubbing my fingers over the soft fuzz that covers her tiny head, I listen as she groggily gulps milk in the dark. Silently, I cry a little. Becoming a mother to this precious baby girl has been the greatest blessing of my life, but I am almost jaded by how quickly the past six months have gone. Right now, her daddy and I are everything to her. We are her whole world, as she is most definitely ours.

But I know that one day, we won’t be. She won’t need to nurse and might not want to snuggle. She’ll have her own hopes, dreams, and plans. That’s good. I know it’s only natural for her to grow up and move away.

I’m just afraid.

Afraid that once she doesn’t need me, she won’t want me.

It might seem silly to think about this now, but if the next 17.5 years go as quickly as the past six months, she’ll be off to college in the blink of an eye.

Maybe I’ll just try to avoid blinking for the next eighteen years.

But in case that doesn’t work out, I’m just going to be sure to get all the cuddles, giggles, and mommy-baby dance parties in while I can. I’m going to love my little princess with all my heart, for the rest of forever.

“I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you’ve done all you can do
If you can’t cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I won’t let go”
– Rascal Flatts