Thursday, July 28, 2011

Babies Don't Keep



So, about last night...

I had so many plans, my rhythm post all envisioned in my head, lists of lists and a mini schedule all prepared. All that I needed to execute my plans was my Baby L to fall asleep.
I tried.
We started around 6:45 like we do every other night. I nursed him, and nursed him and struggled and struggled to get him down. He just simply refused to go to sleep. I became quite disgruntled looking at the clock, watching the minutes and hours tick by seeing my plans slowly slipping out of my grasp. I could only see the future and not the beautiful moment I was in. I knew Baby L could sense my frustration. Almost as if he knew I needed to get out of my thoughts he stopped nursing and looked up at me with his big eyes and grinned from ear to ear. I melted at the sight as the realization of my selfishness hit me - Where were my priorities?!
How could I let myself get so caught up in life, pushing aside and ignoring what really mattered most?



I felt low, and horrible and like the worst parent in the world. What did I choose to do? I gave in and let go. I choose not to leave my baby at all that night and to just settle in and cherish this time.

I stayed with him, not trying to get him to fall asleep (although he did need his sleep),but tickling his chubby cheeks, kissing his soft fuzzy head, soaking in every last ounce of him. I sang to him (he loves Michael Row Your Boat Ashore), he watched intently as my lips moved.He touched my mouth with his sweet little fingertips and his eyes lit up. He sang back in coos and giggles of delight. We cuddled and talked (Well, I talked). He grabbed my face and pulled it to his own to suck on my cheek and then giggled uncontrollably when I couldn't stop laughing (it tickled!). He screeched each time a kitty came near and tried with all his might to propel his body forward to get to them. He studied my face as I studied his. He would blow raspberries every time I spoke his name. As we cuddled together and fell asleep,with him in my arms, all I could think is that there is no place I would rather be. God, I am so incredibly blessed! To think I almost missed out on all of these moments - moments that go by much too fast. Every single day he grows and tomorrow he will already be different than tonight.

I need to always be this way - so in the moment. To think it really could always be this way if I just allowed myself to live in the moment instead of looking at what's ahead. Nothing could ever be more important than time spent with my children. Everything else can wait.



Cooking and cleaning can wait till tomorrow,
For babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow.
So settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm nursing my baby and babies don't keep.


P.S. Stay tuned this weekend for the sewing giveaway I previously mentioned!

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Comments (30)

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That is so true. Reading that I remember when my kids were that age and I was breastfeeding and like your little one, they would pause and just look at you with those big eyes and grin, a big wide grin that would just melt my heart.

I long for those days again, I remember feeling frustrated that I couldn't get things done too and now I regret those times when I rushed through time with my little ones to get the housework caught up. I guess I learnt my lesson,,,,,my babies are all grown into kids and teenagers and my house is still a mess lol. Cherish those moments, they truly disappear way too fast.
Oh, Nicole...blissful moments right Now. Thank you for the reminder. Tis true and even tonight, sitting on the floor as my naked littlest boy toddled towards me, again and again, on bowed legs and hands holding on to Heaven, I thought...If only I could bottle this moment and bring it out to savour later. Oh, if only...
xo Jules
Oh yes...that little fella of yours is simply beautiful! Really, now...
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Nicole, so perfectly put. And you're certainly not an horrible mother. You listened to your baby and that means so much! Thank you for sharing this moment with us!
What wonderful words!! Thank you so much for sharing :)
So very true, we have a saying here, 'no more blinking' for us it means they grow in the blink of an eye babies to teens in what some days seems like a blink of an eye.
Thanks for the reminder though...
x
Oh, do just give them all of yourself that you can spare! Neither they, nor our Creator will judge us on how well we kept our home, how many creative projects we completed or how many lovely blog posts we put up. We will be judged, I am certain, only by the love and attention we gave to others.

My "baby" is two, and there will likely be no more (I will be 48 in November). The difficult times of pregnancy, birth and nursing are what I now consider the best, most satisfying times of my life. Why is that? I think that it is because we are always living well, as we are meant to live, when we are giving ourselves completely, holding nothing back for ourselves.
I've said for awhile that babies can smell selfishness. They know when you've got other plans. ;-) Your little boy is so very sweet to look at. I expected mine to fall asleep last night about the usual time and instead we cuddled in bed with him smiling and cooing for the longest time. Heaven.
I know that feeling all too well. And it seems like the more you NEED them to sleep the more they fight and the more you soak them in the calmer they are. It's such a hard thing to remember sometimes. I treasure every moment I was truly present with my babies and regret what I lost when I was just trying to get them to go to sleep. Good for you for giving in to that preciousness!
No matter how much I look forward to your posts every day, we're not worth it. :o)

Wendi
You chose the right & best moment. The other stuff can wait. He is so adorable. And really, isn't this part of your home rhythm?
these photos and words brought tears to my eyes...my youngest is 2 and I often feel that in the blur of having a newborn, a 1 year old, and a 3 year old, I missed so many of those moments in my pursuit of a moment to myself, or my intent to make sure they EACH got a bit of me in the day. You are wise to recognize this. I think this is something a lot of blogging mamas experience...I recently noticed that my early morning blogging time meant that my husband sat across the table from me as I worked away...then headed off to work without a conversation with me. SO. I've closed the laptop for the rest of the summer to focus in on the moments with the big and small people who love me, and who I love so deeply. Enjoy your day and all its moments.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
delicious!
I have to remember this my self. Lately my little one has been going down at 7 only to wake an hour later and not fall back asleep for an hour and a half and is then up and off all night. I have found myself getting frustrated for all the things I want to get done too, but then I have to remember to stop and soak in the moments. He will only be this small once. I need to post that little saying right next to me every time he does this just so I can remind myself. Thank you for this post.
Thank you for this beautiful post- it truly brought tears to my eyes. Our babies are the most important aspects of our lives. Unfortunately it is so easy to forget in those moments and start thinking of what we 'need' to do. Thank goodness for these little people who remind us of what is most important!
Such a beautiful and true post. Thank you - it was exactly what I needed today!
A needlepoint version of this poem hung on my wall in my bedroom growing up. It was one of those things that my mother cherished and always shared and tried to live by.
How well you put it, and I have been caught in the same situation.
I'm so happy to read your wise words today. Thank you for posting them. They are the perfect balm for this Mama's soul this morning.
what a beautiful awakening! Thank you for such a post, I am teary eyed:)
Such a wise post Nicole! I see myself in your words - catching myself in the frustration of not being able to attend to something I thought needed my attention and then the realization that my first priority has to be my children. All else fades away. Yes there are other things, but most times they can wait. There is such importance in cherishing these precious baby days. I'm so glad you had such a sweet night with L. This time is just too fleeting!
I love this post. I have read that poem often, and every time it reminds me what I should really be focusing on
So true! It is so easy to get caught up in everything that "has" to be done. There are certainly days I need this reminder! Thanks for the post. :)
I posted that poem on my facebook about a year ago after having an almost identical experience with my nursling, who was then two. My eldest is now approaching 18, and it's true what they say about kids growing up before you know it. My smallest turned three last month and my biggest small one lost her first tooth this week...for the last 7 years I've had a baby in my arms and now all of a sudden...*sigh*...every day I find myself wishing I could stop time. I would give anything for one more night, alone with a nursing infant in my arms, studying her downy cheek in the moonlight, feeling the soft curl of her fingers around mine.

Beautiful post, Nicole.
Thank you so much for this post. I find myself in exactly this same situation from time to time. It is a nice reminder to settle in the moment instead of rushing through it and the next. Just a beautiful post!
Beautiful post! So true. Those moment are so precious with our little ones.

Becca
Thank you everyone. It's so comforting to know so many people can relate <3 You are all amazing! XO

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