Holding my feet

I sleep upside down (or right side up?) and my daughter holds on tightly to my feet as she drifts off to sleep. I try to gently pull my feet away and slip out of her room without her noticing. She holds on tighter through her deep sleep breathing and doesn't let go. Eventually I am able to slip my feet from her loving grip and quietly tip toe out of her room.

While she is holding on I remind myself to just be, to breathe, to take in this moment, this snapshot in time.

I don't know how we began this ritual of having her hold my feet while she drifts off to sleep. She doesn't need this every night, but sometimes makes the request to hold my feet. I hold hers too. It's grounding and comforting and loving.

My mom used to massage my tiny ears as I drifted off to sleep. I share in sleep rituals with my own daughter now and sing the same lullabies (Baby boats . . . ). Thank you, mom.