Of course, there are many, many more reasons to love ‘em—but let’s start here.
1. Bedtime kisses. Eskimo kisses. Butterfly kisses. Heck, even snotty-nosed kisses.
2. Who else is going to point out that you have lipstick on your teeth?
3. Food shopping is no longer an unexciting event. Tantrum in aisle eight!
4. They're excellent at keeping your IQ up and running as you try to think of why apples come in two colors, clouds move, or boys have nipples.
5. All the things you're secretly happy to have taking up room in the freezer: popsicles, chicken nuggets, and ice cream (the flavorful, full-fat kind!).
6. They let you know "Your tummy is soft, Mommy," but in their minds that's a good thing.
7. Their ridiculously adorable jammies.
8. When the fever breaks at 3AM and they look at you like you're sent from heaven.
9. They're small enough that you really do need to go on the sled with them. Wheeeeee!
10. Did you ever think you'd marvel at things like airplanes and caterpillars again? And yet, amazing.
11. No joke, she’s taught you stuff about the computer.
12. Their satiny skin, their actually-sweet-smelling morning breath, their pokey-outy tummies, the dimples in their bottoms. Basically everything that makes them little walking, talking Cupids.