My husband had taken this snapshot on my phone while I was asleep, which I discovered when I awoke

I woke up the other morning to find this photo on my phone. It’s not my usual posed selfie, but this one feels different. My husband took it after we spent the night changing, nursing, and settling the baby, while he handled the wake-up shift.

The past few weeks have been tough, and parenting a newborn is demanding—physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. Add two more kids, and it’s a daily challenge. My routine involves changing diapers, wiping tears, cleaning, and taking snack breaks, all while running on little sleep.

I don’t normally share unflattering photos. My eyes are swollen, my hair’s in a mom bun, and I’m probably covered in food or spit. But this image captures everything about motherhood—the chaos, the tiredness, but also the love. It’s easy to forget how precious these moments are when you’re in the thick of it.

I’ll miss the snuggles more than the sleepless nights, and the hugs that calm them down more than the tears. I’ll even miss cleaning up the messes. One day, I’ll look back and wish I had held on to these moments longer.

So, remember to take these photos. Embrace them. They’ll be the ones you cherish.