“Mooommmmyyyy!”

My name comes from his mouth what seems like a thousand times a day. He’s all mommy, all the time.

I call him my little momma’s boy. The girls were attached to me, but never in this way. He’s nearly two and still cries when I leave the house without him. I thought we were over the separation anxiety months ago, but recently, I can’t go anywhere without him getting upset.

His clingy-ness is something that I’m trying to look at with positivity. When he climbs onto my lap to watch a movie, it’s the best feeling in the world. When he gets up from playing just to give me a kiss, my heart melts. When he wakes up in the middle of the night and calls my name only to come in our bed and put his arm over my belly to spoon, it makes the lack of sleep completely worth it.

The feeling that I get when I walk into a room and he comes running to me, while screaming my name and then grabbing my legs to give them the biggest hug, is like no other. I have to remind myself that these moments won’t last forever, no matter how frustrated I get with him.

When I’m cooking dinner and he refuses to let go of my legs and starts crying because I won’t pick him up or when he cries because I am helping the girls and he doesn’t get my undivided attention, I have to remember that he’s only a little boy who needs his mommy.

I’ve started taking him on dates. I did it with the girls when they were around his age. It was initially started to show them that I could have one-on-one time with them with a new baby around, but even with no new baby in the house or on the way, I still think Macks needs that one-on-one time. He needs my undivided attention and these dates are where I can give him that. I put my phone down and focus my everything on him.

Although we spend 95% of our time together, there’s a lot of time that he doesn’t get all of me. I try to get work done while the girls are at school, so he sees me on my computer. When the girls are home, it’s like a circus act and I’m trying to juggle all three kids who all want my attention at the same time. It’s a fine line to walk and I’m doing my best to just keep my balance.

This little boy was the only one cozy enough to stay inside my belly well past his due date. He’s clung to me since the day he was born and will do so for just a little bit longer. He’s attached. He’s a little boy who just wants his mama. And how can I say no to that?