Oh, sweet Ben.

The wee fella doesn’t get much of a routine. I have to wake him from almost every nap so we can fetch an older sibling from ballet or school or a playdate. At six and a half months of age, he isn’t close to sleeping through the night. While I am mind-numbingly tired, I know that he is seeking out extra cuddles and affection I can’t offer during the busy days. When he fusses at night, I am there for him.

This summer he managed to wake up extra extra early every weekend morning.  Like, 5:15 early. Rather than let our stirring and his cooing wake up Chris and the other kids, I would head out for a long morning walk with Ben.  There is something so calming and peaceful about a big city before everyone wakes up. On many blocks, Ben and I were the only people in sight, a rarity during busy daylight and boisterous nighttime. It was nice to have quiet time and fresh air!

While there were plenty of mornings when I wished for a few extra hours of sleep, I was actually quite happy to head out. Next summer Ben will be 1 and perhaps our summer strolls won’t fit in to his little boy schedule. He’ll be sleeping more soundly, he will wake up with his brother and sisters, he’ll want breakfast. So, I made an extra effort to really treasure the time with my baby this summer.

Most mornings I would slide him into the baby carrier so I could smell the top of his sweet head and rub my chin against his soft baby hair.

Some days we wandered over to Lake Michigan to take in the sunrise and watch the swimmers glide seal-like through the smooth-as-glass water.

Other days he would fall asleep in the stroller before 7 am. I often wished I could crawl in with him to catch a few more zzz’s!

I am beyond sleep deprived, but I wouldn’t trade in my early morning strolls with Ben for a few extra hours of sleep. For my whole life I will always remember how good it felt to wake up early with my precious little baby.