You

You.

The one whom I loved before I knew.

The one I wept over

Worried over

Prayed over.

The one I delighted in.

The more I grew the more excited I became

As I whispered to you in my belly.

Waves of pain,

Stubborn brain cells willing fearful muscles to relax

And nervous lungs to breathe.

"Oh my goodness" and then...

You.

Miniature wrinkles and brand new fingers

And those eyes: pools of blue

I stared into

As you lifted your little head with great effort to meet my gaze.

That cord wasn't the only thing tying us together.

You

And me.

We.

A dynamic duo since before day one.

Splish splash,

Rockabye,

Mommy's here,

Don't you cry.

And in the midst of this entropic commotion of

Tears and laughter and seven million pictures

You nestle against my breast

And tuck your smooth, sweet smelling hand underneath my collarbone.

Your cherub cheeks grow still as the sucking slows

And your eyelashes quiver like a butterfly's wing.

My heart wants to whisper a prayer of gratitude,

But the heavy warmth of you in my arms

And the smell of milk on your chin

Make finding words impossible.

Except,

"You."