Pulling at the Heart's Strings

I've experienced several things since being a mom that really pull at my heart's strings. Of course there's always the painful ouchies, sickness, or never-ending diaper rash. But there's also moments like this one that really make ME want to pout. Julia loves her stuffed duck, known as Ducky, or Quack Quack, which was given to her by Aunt Robin. This duck is her, and our lifeline. She mostly just gets to take naps and have bedtime with this treasured animal, and so when Ducky gets "lost" over the edge of the crib, and is just beyond reach Julia will either let us know with a tearful cry, or she reaches and reaches, trying to rescue Ducky. I got this picture on Saturday. I almost cry every time I see these moments where she desperately tries to reach for her best friend. Sometimes her efforts are so exhausting that she just ends of falling asleep.