Holding your newborn in your arms for the very first time and FINALLY getting to see that little face after nine(ten) months of imagining it.

The first few days of a baby’s life, when you keep discovering things about that baby because he’s been so tightly swaddled since he was born…that he has long, skinny toes or chubby ones, or that his head is covered in swirly, dark hair that’s just a little longer in the back, or the old man face he makes when he’s sleeping.

The uproarious laughter that comes from your toddler because she’s watching her older sister run back and forth across the room, and the proud look on her older sister’s face from making the toddler laugh so hard.

When your preschooler gets off the bus from school in the afternoon and his sister runs out to give him a big ol’ squeeze.

That one cup of coffee in the morning when you’re pregnant, and you savor it because you know it’s the only caffeine you’ll have all day.

The realization that since you’ve had the baby, you can have that Cherry Dr. Pepper in the middle of the day again. Or the mojito at night.

Fresh baked surprise chocolate chips cookies made by my husband on a whim while I was giving the kids a bath at bedtime.

The two hours of peace that you have when you’re getting your hair done.

The joy of finding a TV show that your kids love and that doesn’t drive you completely crazy when they want to watch one episode fifteen times in a week.

When you find the PERFECT gift for your child, that you just know is going to make her eyes bug out and smile the BIGGEST smile.

Actually seeing that reaction when you give her the gift.

Listening to the kids play in another room, and actually getting along.

Spending your days, good or bad, with the people you love the most. The big ones and the small ones.