Babies don't keep
"Dusting and mopping can wait til tomorrow, for babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow. So dust take a vacation, and cobwebs go to sleep. I am rocking my baby and babies don't keep."
Or something like that. My mom had a framed needlework picture of this quote when I was little. Now I understand it, and that is what I did today. I held her, kissed under her moist neck, blew raspberries on her tummy, kissed her toes, and looked at all the flecks of color in her oh-so-blue eyes. She'll be 8 months old in a week. How is that possible? She is about to crawl, so before she is quite a lot less interested in snuggling with me, I took at least an hour of pure baby joy. Then I had a tea party with my next 3 youngest, and read them a story, one of my personal favorites, Roxaboxen. I had gotten one of those, "What am I supposed to do with this?" type gifts, a tea pot, two cups, two spoons, a box of tea and shortbread. All really too small to be practical, but very cute. So, today, I said to the littlies, "How 'bout a tea party with my present?" My 4 yo dd got wide eyed, "Really, today, really??" Ususally during school, I try to keep them busy and quiet. Today I sat with them and read and sipped tea, and ate a shortbread biscut. For the first time in a long time, I haven't wondered where the day went. I know where it went, straight to my heart.
Or something like that. My mom had a framed needlework picture of this quote when I was little. Now I understand it, and that is what I did today. I held her, kissed under her moist neck, blew raspberries on her tummy, kissed her toes, and looked at all the flecks of color in her oh-so-blue eyes. She'll be 8 months old in a week. How is that possible? She is about to crawl, so before she is quite a lot less interested in snuggling with me, I took at least an hour of pure baby joy. Then I had a tea party with my next 3 youngest, and read them a story, one of my personal favorites, Roxaboxen. I had gotten one of those, "What am I supposed to do with this?" type gifts, a tea pot, two cups, two spoons, a box of tea and shortbread. All really too small to be practical, but very cute. So, today, I said to the littlies, "How 'bout a tea party with my present?" My 4 yo dd got wide eyed, "Really, today, really??" Ususally during school, I try to keep them busy and quiet. Today I sat with them and read and sipped tea, and ate a shortbread biscut. For the first time in a long time, I haven't wondered where the day went. I know where it went, straight to my heart.
posted by Renee at Thursday, January 13, 2005
5 Comments:
You are a great Mommy! What a fun, joy-filled day your family had.
THe needlework is excerpted from a poem called "Ode for a Fifth Child" and I first encountered it in La Leche League nearly 30 years ago.
The most quoted section goes:
Cooking and cleaning can wait till tomorrow, for
Babies grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So go away cobwebs! Dust, Go to sleep!
I'm nursing my baby, and babies don't keep.
Sadly, many versions substitute "rocking" for "nursing".
Wow, Alicia, I love that - I will definately correct my version of this poem. I also love it's for a fifth child, because that is when you realize so deeply how fleeting babies are.
this is so, so touching. thank you for sharing this.
(where the heck have i been? i feel like i just stumbled upon a gem...)
What a very nice day. I think I will go read to my little too, for none of them are quite so little anymore. My oldest is 12 and my youngest is 4, and they are growing up far too fast.
And thank you Alicia for sharing the source of this quote! Now I have more information so I can seek the full version. It was a search for this poem that brought me to the webpage here.
Blessings to you all!
-Sparkling
http://www.visionsgame.com
Post a Comment
<< Home