Posted by Danielle Bean
in Family
on Monday, September 15, 2008 11:48 AM
He was supposed to take a nap. I was counting on his nap. There was an awful lot to do.
But sometimes little people have their own plans.
He climbed onto the couch and sat beside me as I typed.
“Mooosic, Mama!” he begged. “Moooooosic!”
I clicked to play one of his favorite songs and he snuggled into my side. His small body moved to the sound and I felt his warmth against me.
I typed and he swayed. I typed and he patted my leg. I typed and he breathed deep and steady breaths.
Before long, the swaying stopped and his head leaned heavily against my arm. I closed my laptop and lifted him into my lap. His head fell against my chest and he breathed deeper still. His arms grew limp. His small mouth hung partway open.
I wonder how many babies have gone to sleep in my lap. I wonder how many more ever will.
It’s a privilege to be a safe and comfortable enough place for someone small to go to sleep in. It’s a privilege to hear and feel their every breath, to feel their tiny heartbeats, and to know that each one is a precious and undeserved gift.
It’s a privilege to be Mama. And I am grateful for it today.
image: The Sleeping Child by Mary Richardson, 1911
|
Filed under babies, mothers, sleep
Print Article 
Email a Friend
Related articles by this author:
Related articles by other authors:
Comments
1. Posted by Debbie
[website] on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 3:42 PM (EST):
Thanks be to God, I get to feel like that almost every night when I rock my 2 year old daughter to sleep. Everyone says I am foolish for continuing to rock her, but it is such a privilege to have her. How could I not take advantage of such a fleeting opportunity? The best part is my 4 year old insists on his time to be rocked! After I put Samantha in her crib and she is almost asleep, Thomas crawls up into my lap and asks me to talk to God and rock him. After our prayer he will whisper in my ear, “That’s enough rocking, Mommy.” What a wonderful way to end the usually very active day.
2. Posted by Beth on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 3:56 PM (EST):
Thanks for this Danielle. And thanks to our Lord for giving us these precious gifts.
3. Posted by Heidi Saxton
[website] on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 4:15 PM (EST):
Reminds me of my daughter’s current favorite joke:
Where do cows like to go on Saturday afternoons? To the moooooooovies.
4. Posted by Lisa on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 4:21 PM (EST):
So precious, those moments with our littlest ones. Even in the faces of my older children, I can still see, still remember their sweet 2 year-old faces sleeping snuggled against me. Oh, that I never forget!
5. Posted by Lisa on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 4:22 PM (EST):
BTW, I love the picture on this post. Who is the artist?
6. Posted by Gina on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 6:53 PM (EST):
I love rocking and cuddling with my baby girl every night. My friends ask me when I plan on letting her go to sleep on her own and I say why rush it. These sweet, tender moments go by so quickly and I want them to last forever.
Love the pic too!
7. Posted by Danielle Bean on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 7:01 PM (EST):
It’s a painting by Mary Richardson.
8. Posted by Carolyn A on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 8:03 PM (EST):
Babies are beautiful, but I think they’re exquisite when they sleep! Even my five-year-old is always snuggling up to his baby sister and saying, “You’re so WARM!”
Post a Comment
By submitting this form, you give Faith And Family Magazine permission to publish this comment.
Comments will be published at our discretion, and may be edited for clarity and length. For best formatting, please
limit your response to one paragraph and don't hit "enter" to force line breaks.
RSS Feeds
