Yesterday on Facebook, I saw a photo of my nephew sleeping, and I was completely dumbstruck. He’s only eleven but…He didn’t look 11. He looked just like my brother. My 40-year old brother who sports a boyish grin and the same dark curly hair and who gives great hugs, who happens to be his dad– so of course they will look alike, right? But in a completely different way, my nephew looked unlike the little boy who bubbles up with contagious excitement when he finds a warty, slimy frog.. and more like a grown-up version of himself. And it struck me as wonderful and yet it hurt a little bit.
Because every night before going to sleep, I check on my own little ones… who are the beautiful main reasons that “the days are long..” but instead of seeing that “the years are short..” I look into their upturned faces, all relaxed in peaceful dreaming and lightly fluttering eyelashes… and I see my babies. Something happens when they sleep— they lose all sense of bigness and its like their little faces remember what baby looks like and put it on for me to see.
And I know it may not always be so. I am quite certain that for years, that little 11-yr old’s mom has checked on him, and seen her baby. And I wonder when and how it happens that they start to grow up overnight.
But she knows, because when I was an exhausted mom with a 5 day old baby, she called me all the way in North Carolina and said, “Hold her as much as you want. Don’t worry about spoiling her. You cannot hold a baby too much.”
And she was right. Because here I stand, 5 ft. tall with a 6’1″ husband whose children will definitely grow taller than me long before they’re grown.
And the babies that used to fit into little burrito-swaddled bundles, have long lean limbs that just about reach down past my knees when they sit with me.
And you can’t slow time. Except one moment at a time. And when I check on them at night, I take an extra moment to wonder what they dream. To watch their faces reflect the day. To know that the curves of baby-ness are slowly leaving their faces, and being replaced by the echoes of their future.
And I thank God that they keep right on growing and that I could not stop this train even if I wanted to. Which I don’t.
Linking up for Five Minute Friday here. Hop over and read more FMF friends!
This is really beautiful. Time is so fleeting and we need to hold these moments in our hearts and ponder them. It’s a good job that God is eternal and that we don’t stop at the end of this life, because if that were true the passage of time would sting so much more.
So true. Our minds struggle with the passage of time so because we are bound by it now– but Praise God it will not always be so. Thanks for visiting! You’re always welcome.
I love that thought: “…you can’t slow time. Except one moment at a time.” Yes.
Hi Kristi! Thanks for visiting! It’s those little moments that fly right by if we don’t make them slow– right?
Precious! My kids are 9 and 11 and for me, them growing up is bittersweet. I adore who they are now, but I miss them being babies. I also know I’ll eventually miss them being this age, so I try to soak up every moment and take mental snapshots constantly so my memories will be clear.
Precious! My kids are 9 and 11 and for me, them growing up is bittersweet. I adore who they are now, but I miss them being babies. I also know I’ll eventually miss them being this age, so I try to soak up every moment and take mental snapshots constantly so my memories will be clear.
YES! It’s such a pendulum of wanting to speed and then slow time, isn’t it? Even within one day or an hour. I’m all about the mental snapshot too! Thank you for stopping to chat, Traci!
Well that was just beautiful…just perfectly beautiful. Correct you are my sweet daughter that time does not stand still. But you have the blessed good sense to soak it up and prolong the joy of such moments. It wont slow it down but it will be deeply engraved on your mother’s heart…to recall at such times as their wedding day, or the day they hold their own tiny babe to their heart for the first time. Only the perfect heart of our perfect God could design such tender joy. Thanks for the reminder!
“And you can’t slow time. Except one moment at a time. ” Oh yes, friend! So true. Love this. Thanks for sharing your beautiful heart reflections. I can so relate!
I know you can, fellow mama! Glad we can soldier on together! 🙂
Oh I love this! I can tell you, they never outgrow that sleepy baby face… my own Girlie lives on her own – but comes home and naps and she still crawls up on my lap and cuddles in close and yes… my baby she will always be!
THAT makes my day, Karrileea! Love relationship you and your girl have! Hope to have the same one day.
Beautiful. I’m about to cry! 🙂 I always mean to write comments here but I always read and am encouraged. Thank you.
Thank you dear Caitlin. Your words mean a lot, friend. <3