Be My Baby A Little While Longer

The last 9 months have quickly become the last few weeks, it’s almost time. Things are about to change.

Be my baby a little while longer.

Come crawl up onto my lap and bury your face into my shoulder. Soon there won’t be as much room as there was before.

Be my baby a little while longer.

I wash your hair as you splash and giggle in the tub. I rinse the soap from your hair, you wipe the bubbles from your eyes, blinking through the water. You smile at me with that silly grin.

Be my baby a little while longer.

You sit on the counter, criss-cross applesauce, anxiously waiting for a piece of cookie dough to drop from my spoon. Your eyes are wide with anticipation. It falls, you quickly scoop it up with your chubby finger and smile as the sugary taste hits your tongue. Sweet victory.

Be my baby a little while longer.

You toddle over to the couch, book clutched in hand. I don’t have to see it’s cover to know which one you picked. It’s the one with the broken seam, tattered pages, and nibbled off corners; the one I’ve read to you since the day you were born. Climb up next to me, baby girl.

Be my baby a little while longer.

You fall at the playground, standing up to show your skinned knees. The sound of your cry is undeniable; I can hear you looking for me. You fall into my arms, hot tears roll down your chubby cheeks. I’m here, sweet one. Even when your baby brother comes, I’ll always be here.

Be my baby a little while longer.

It’s the wee hours of the morning, you cry out my name. My sluggish waddle down the hall finds me in your room. Together we crawl into your rocking chair, your body pressed into mine. We rock and sing, sing and rock. Soon I’ll be rocking another small person in this chair. but you and I will always have our own rhythm, the one we’ve made together, little one.

Be my baby a little while longer.

I sit in his room, the nursery floor scattered with baby clothes. The time is coming, he’s going to be here soon. You prance into the room and plop down in front of me, your chubby hands reach out and they press into my belly. It shifts and moves, your eyes are locked with mine. The wonder of this miracle is too great for either of us to keep inside. Together we smile. Our smiles turn into giggles, my giggles into tears. As I prepare to say, “Hello,” to my new baby, I’m slowly saying, “Good-bye,” to you, my other. But as this slow farewell comes to a close, a beautiful new part of your soul opens up, greeting the world with excitement and wonder; becoming my big girl, a big sister. But for the next few weeks….

Be my baby a little while longer.