Why I want to 'eat up' my children

I find myself explaining to Leith at least once a day that when I am done with what I am doing at the time, I will then 'eat him up'. It is a pattern of communication I have repeated with each of my children since their births. They have variously, depending on age and personality, jumped into my arms to begin the 'eating up', run away squealing, explained to me that it might hurt them, asked me if I really like to eat blood, or as in the case of Leith right now, said, "No, I'm going to eat you up!" I have enjoyed, over the years, this silly excuse to hold, kiss, snuggle, tickle and wrestle with my children. I often get the urge to 'eat up' my young children when they say or do something particularly clever, funny, fascinating or insightful. The feeling I have in these moments is a profound combination of love, affection, joy, and wonderment- and a desire to somehow internalize or adopt the characteristics of their young spirits into my own. I expect that in the Eternities, when we speak the language of God, I will find that He has a word that accurately expresses this feeling. In the meantime, I will continue chasing Leith around, promising to 'eat him up', until he, like the others, grows out of that silliness. I will then be left with no outlet for my feelings except to offer prayers of gratitude for my wonderful children and to show love for them in other ways as they grow and develop. I hope that they have no complaints when I begin, in a decade or so, to 'eat up' their children.