I respond to you 1,278 times in a day
See you, feed you, bounce you, burp you, swaddle you, change you, bathe you,
hold you, soothe you, sway you, rock you, kiss you, kiss you, kiss you 382 times a day
I am here,
for you
your little eyes look into me,
nearly expressionless, with so much thinking going on
we recognize each other,
as if it’s been years,
in these first few days.
we study each other’s faces,
memorizing what is forever changing
until you’re all worn out from the looking
and your body melts into mine
and then your eyes close again
and your breathing lengthens
as does mine
we are becoming familiar with one another
though we’ve had nine months growing together
separate now, we are attaching
nuances of your personality are expressed in your needs
and I’m falling in love with everything
though you have nothing of reciprocity to offer
no smiles, no words to say thanks
my gratitude and hope so big I could burst
for a life just beginning
your breathing is all I need to keep going
Thrive little one!
Eat, cry, sleep, grow, scream for what you need
I will seek to give it to you,
learn the language of your cries,
speak sweet words you’ll only understand in tones
you can trust me, sweet one
throughout long days and tiresome nights
I will care for you, give to you, know you, love you,
your whole life long
this and so much more
I am blessed to give
because you
You, my love
are the magnum opus
the great work
the masterpiece of this life
I have co-created an eternal soul
and how divine it is to be a witness and worker
in these first days of life (and forevermore)
when you are so fragile, and fully alive
hoping for decades of days
20,000 or more
with you my love
November 9th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
Oh how I love this and feel the same in my heart’s depths for my babies. Thank you, Heather! So grateful for your heart and your writing.
December 1st, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Thank you Kristen – these are pretty precious days huh? I love seeing your little ones and all the meaningful moments you share!