This week, our family crossed a milestone I wasn’t sure would come this soon. Aurora—my bold, bright, tender-hearted girl—announced out of nowhere, “I want to sleep in my room tonight.”
Just like that.
My mama heart swelled with pride and cracked in the same breath. Because in that tiny sentence, I heard something bigger: she’s growing up. She’s stepping into her own confidence. She’s becoming her own little person.
That night, we tucked her into her bed—her favorite blanket, her beloved stuffy Floppy, her Hatch glowing softly with bedtime stories and lullabies. She looked so small and so brave all at once.
When I crawled into my own bed, I immediately pulled up the camera on my phone. I watched her settle in, wiggle around, and finally drift off. And then… I watched her all night. Every shift. Every sigh. Every still moment. My mama ears stayed on high alert, waiting for even the faintest “Mama?” or “Daddy?”
I didn’t sleep. Not even a little.
Because for four years, she’s been right beside me—first in her bassinet, then her crib, and eventually in our bed. I’ve never hidden how much I loved it. The warmth. The closeness. The steady rhythm of her breathing. The tiny heartbeat I could feel when she curled into me. Some parents can’t imagine co‑sleeping; my husband pretends he’s one of them, but I know better.
There are plenty of opinions about co‑sleeping—good, bad, and everything in between. But for us, it was survival. It was peace. It was the only way either of us slept. And honestly, it was one of the sweetest seasons of my life.
And now, at four years old, she’s ready for something new.
Most of me is bursting with pride. She made this decision herself. This is the independence we hope to nurture in our children. And for a girl who used to fear her room, the dark, the hum of the air conditioner—this was a brave, brave step. I’m overflowing with gratitude for her courage.
But there’s another side no one warns you about: the ache. The bittersweet sting of watching your baby grow faster than your heart can process. One day they need you for everything, and the next they’re doing something you didn’t think they’d be ready for yet.
Time moves like lightning. And every milestone reminds me how fleeting these years are. How she will never be as little as she is right now. That’s why I treasure every moment—yes, even the “boring” ones. Sitting outside looking at the sky. Grocery store runs. Daycare drives filled with music, giggles, and conversations only a four‑year‑old can dream up. Nothing about those moments is mundane to me. They are magic.
And all of this—this love, this tenderness, this fierce desire to protect—reminds me of my Heavenly Father.
To think that He loves me like this. Me—Lainey. Just a woman in California, living a simple life, nothing flashy or noteworthy. Yet the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, loves me more than I love Aurora. It’s almost impossible to grasp.
Just like I watched Aurora that night, He watches me. Attentive. Present. Protective. The Bible says He does not sleep or slumber as He watches over His children.
Psalm 121
To know that my Father and I were both on night watch—each for our own child—humbled me deeply.
His love. His comfort. His protection. His provision. It means everything.
And just like Aurora had no idea I was watching her with full attention, ready to move the second she needed me—so is my God. My good, good Father.
It’s more than my mind can hold. But my heart is grateful.
He is with me in every moment. Cheering me on. Delighting in me. What a wonderful God He is, friends.
So be brave, dear Lionhearts. A new chapter is always the beginning of something beautiful.
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
The lionhearted thoughts of a girl named Lainey. 
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