Hold them tight
Every night we do the same exact routine at 6:45. I bathe the babies, lather them in lotion while we sing and talk, put on jammies, tickle, read a book, and finally tooth brushing. Bella has decided that she hates having her teeth brushed and no matter what I do to try and make it fun and not forced, she fights me. So, the last couple of nights I have had to hold her head and brush her teeth while she screams and cries. I hate it! I admit I’m not the most patient woman on Earth by 7:30 at night, but I really have tried to be creative and sweet. Everyone has to brush their teeth and in this house, there is a minimum of twice a day on that. Top, bottom, tongue, and cheeks. No child of mine is going to breath dragon breath at me. Oh, no.
Anyways, she cried. She made a hoot about it. I carried her to bed crying and fussing. I put her on her pillow and started rubbing her back, as every night. She finally calmed. I sang Baby of Mine to her and her eyes grew heavy. I don’t know why, perhaps the guilt of our toothbrushing fiasco, but I looked down at her and I just couldn’t help wanting to hold her, rock her, have her grow heavy in my arms as she drifted off. She was already dozing, but I woke her up and asked her if I could rock her. She jumped right up with arms wide open. We sat on the floor and she melted right into me. She fell asleep within minutes, but I held her close, rubbed her face, and smelled her sweet curls for a good 30 minutes longer. She’s grown so big, but she’ll always fit perfectly and be welcome in my arms. It’s moments like that that I’m so glad to have more of now that I’m not working.
That’s the stuff we take with us when we leave. These are the moments I’ll hold close during my last breaths. I hope I can always be a sense of comfort for these children, and that we are close friends forever, long after they want to cuddle or be sung to.
Jeremy came looking for me last night because tucking the babes in doesn’t usually take too long. He found me on the Bella’s floor holding her and grabbed the camera. So sweet…
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And we can’t forget Photo Challenge this week (I haven’t done it for two weeks). April’s challenge is to take pictures of body parts…
Posted by: stepherz | 04-11-2007 | 04:04 PM
Posted in: Just Me | Momma
so sweet. don’t ever let go.
Beautiful makes me want to wake my boys for lovies-but I wouldn’t dare;) I will just peek in at them and remember the fun day we had. Thanks for sharing your precious family.
Wonderful
I love letting them fall asleep in my arms.
Awww!!
This post almost made me cry. So sweet.
thanks for the comment on my blog! i had to laugh about the forehead thing… there’s a thing called phrenology which was a study of the forehead done in the 1800’s. foreheads were cool once! poor boy. kids are so darn mean.
i’m still in love with the pic of your baby girl. i do actually go and pick up my sleeping babies to hug them and kiss them and tell them how much i love them. so sweet!
: )
i love these photos, beautiful sweet and gentle … and your words make me smile and smile and smile …
Our bedtime/tucking in ritual is among my favorites. That picture of the two of you is soooo sweet. And her hair. I want that hair!!!!
THAT was very sweet.
What a sweet, sweet story - I love it! The picture is great and the best part is that Jeremy recognized what an amazing moment it was and captured it.
This gave me goosebumps. the photo of bella lying in your arms nearly had me in tears. What a beautiful moment.
I love that he captured that beautiful moment on camera!
You are such a good mom. Great post!
Jack doesn’t like to fall asleep on us. He barely sits still long enough for hugs. But the other night he woke up at 10:30, crying from a dream. He let me rock him back to sleep and I don’t know who was more comforted by it- him or me.