By your beauty alone

Sometimes at night I come in your room

Sit by your bed, and stare at you

You blink those heavy eyes. You’re sleepy shy

You wave your little hand up, whispering ‘bye. bye.’

Dismissed from your room. You’re wanting to sleep

But I want to be near you, to watch you breathe

Sometimes I’m crying and feel despair

I pick you out of bed and sit, caressing your hair

I stare at the slope of your nose, lips and chin

The thickness of your lashes and, if I’m lucky, little grin

By your beauty alone,

my heart is mended

My purpose refocused. My joy resurrected.

Each day is full of precious moments like these

Like when you place our hands next to yours on the piano keys

Like the way you constantly brush your hair from your face,

How you walk around in my heals, or love being chased

How you ask us a question, and respond with “I know”

How you always have Buzz Lightyear in tow

How you purse your lips when you watch something intently

How you chase your cousins around, while us parents remind ‘play gently’

When you tilt your head, squint your eyes and flash us a smile,

When you beg ‘please please please’, or predictably dump your toys in a pile

How you timidly cover your mouth when you’re scared or surprised

How you run from the vacuum, and love the freedom of playing outside

How you say ‘pee-yew’ for anything yucky

How you absolutely love bath time with bubbles, toys and rubber duckies.

How you cuddle with us and prefer to be cheek- to-cheek

How you hide us under blankets, ‘find’ us and joyfully shriek

The list is endless. You make joy out of the mundane.

The best we can say is

thank you, our sweet Avery Lane.