Baby Kisses

One of the things I love most about motherhood is watching my boys learn things. Whether they're three and learning the ABCs or 6 months old and learning to feel and express love.
Oh my heart, how it aches and stretches and bursts with joy when my little boys show love.
August has started kissing, hugging, and snuggling.
Soon he will say Mama, after that comes I love you, then a few seconds later, with tear-streaked cheeks he might say, "I don't hate you, I love you even when I'm angry." (As I was told yesterday by one of my other children.)
But these first, messy, wet, slobbery kisses might be my favorite. They're so real. He isn't kissing me because he wants something. He isn't kissing me because it's bedtime, or because he knows I liked to be kissed.
He is kissing because he loves me.
When Grey and Micah were babies, they would launch themselves forward to plant kisses on our faces. August, however, likes to grab my face with his sharp little fingers and pull fistfulls of me towards him to kiss. He lays big, sloppy, open-mouthed kisses on us and then pushes us away so he can beam at us.
August is so affectionate. He likes to nestle his little head into the crooks of our arms when he's on our laps. He leans in to our chests and nuzzles us like a little puppy, then looks up and smiles. He wraps his arms so tight around our necks, and gives the boys squeezes when they try to hug him.
Last night we went to a late-night work party (by late-night, I mean, we were there until EIGHT-THIRTY!) and when August finally hit his wall of exhaustion, he didn't scream or cry- he just lay back against my chest, and stroked my arms while his eyes drooped, running his chubby hands from my wrist to my elbow. So sweet, so gentle, so lovey.
I love this little boy so much. All three of my sweet, gentle, loving boys. I'm glad that I got snugglers, huggers, kissers, and lovers. I don't know what I'd do without them.
I certainly wouldn't get my daily kisses and hugs quota filled.