I held you, mottled pink and silicon-fat arms. I gazed at you, with amazement and fright. I fed you, in the dark hours when the world had stopped except for us. I rocked you, when nothing else helped.
I changed you, picked up after you, I helped you to walk. I weaned you, I tickled you, I helped you to talk. I read you books, and again and again. I answered ‘what’s dat?’ and ‘why?’ and ‘but when?’
And each day passes and I realise: You’ve grown!
And now I teach you, though it’s nothing like school. We read, because there are never enough books. We talk, because there are never enough questions. We play and race and chase in the cold and collapse, laughing, in a heap in the warm. And always I save time to make time to spend it with you.
We dance, though we can’t and laugh, because it’s funny. And it’s hard to remember a time before you. (Though not impossible.)
Then evening comes and one by one you fall into my arms, your head on my shoulder, your tired body folding into me. And I love you so much: more than anything.
That’s where my time has gone.
Photo: alancleaver_2000
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh lovely lovely post. Thank for cheering me up today. x
Just lovely!
That really made me smile, what a wonderful way to spend your precious time
Thank you. Today was the best day, from my perspective, for you to post this.
Thank you. You have no idea how much some of your posts have helped me.
Thank you, for sharing with people you don’t see and caring enough to share.
Thank you, for being a wonderful Mom at a time when all we hear about are the villians.
Just – thank you.
What a wonderful post Ella xx
oh that was beautiful! A really wonderful love filled post. you brought a lump to my throat
you have it in a nutshell…just beautiful!
Love it, love it. Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of the really lovely bits xxx
The best advice my health visitor gave me was to cuddle my baby – you can do washing up anytime but cuddles and time with your children is priceless.
Lovely post.
I wish time would slow down, it goes so quickly. We have to enjoy every moment .
Lovely post.
What a lovely post!
LOVE this, Ella x
Aaaaw what a lovely post…. and very true
Thank you all x
Oh what an incredibly beautiful, wonderful post. Thank you.
Lovely post and all so true,
Oh, this is lovely and so true. I am rubbish at keeping a record of my son’s life and have realised that it’s because I’m too busy helping him to live it. Thank goodness for the blog, otherwise it would all be a blur.
Just… beautiful. My throat closed and eyes smarted. Such a wonderful, true post. Thank you.
What a gorgeous, gorgeous post Ella x
Thank you for reminding me what is important
This is such a lovely post, you write beautifully. Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I can see I am going to find plenty of posts here that I’m going to be nodding in agreement with!
after reading your story, I miss my mother