The nights are harder this time around. Maybe it’s being older, with more kids; maybe it’s the cold weather, which renders the space beneath the blankets so cozy and the space outside it so unfriendly. Or maybe I’m just getting lazier. In any case, I actually sleep through the first minute or two of “I’m waking up hungry” noises, and often I have to give myself quite a pep talk to drag myself out of bed and nurse.
Fortunately, setting aside writing (mostly) has allowed me the luxury of long naps in the afternoon. Getting under the covers fully dressed has a wickedly indulgent feel that makes it even more pleasurable than in the middle of the night.
I had carpool duty on Tuesday, and when I woke up at 2:35, I knew there wasn’t time to do anything productive. Michael was stirring, but he wasn’t interested in nursing yet. So I put him in the bed beside me and curled up on my side.
Outside, thick clouds hunkered down, lengthening twilight backward along the clock, dropping a mist of precipitation on a world already saturated, soaking bare sycamore and cottonwood and walnut. Gloomy, silent, stealthy rain, buried beneath the perpetual growl of the interstate, pushing inward on the walls of my room.
But inside, warm purple walls radiated warmth and intimate quiet. My baby opened his eyes, kicked his legs and examined the recessed ceiling and ornate fan, then looked at me, looked through me…looked into me. “Hey there, sweetie,” I whispered, and he calmed his frantic limb flailing and wrapped his tiny hand around my finger. “I love you.”
And those eyes whispered back, I love you.
Truly, “it is no small thing that they, who are so fresh from God, love us.” –Charles Dickens
Kathleen M. Basi 
Beautiful; your writing and your sweet little boy.
Reading your post gave me many happy memories. Caring for little babies is such a precious time and blessing!
I love your style of writing!
How precious.
love the poetic voice in your piece… hope baby sleeps through the night soon
Love this post. God bless! (BTW, a former pastor of ours knew A. W. Tozer personally. Once on a walk together, Tozer said to him, “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap!” I don’t suppose we’ll ever read that quote in a book, but there you are.)
There is something about small babies in the blanket wrapping months that make warm, sweet memories. Your dickens quote is one of my very favorites – I have a card someone gave me about 11 years ago that I keep on my desk. Luckily, I found the same Mary Engelbreit card for my DIL what was due Saturday:) Wishing you more warm, cozy memories!