In my arms she lays here, bare foot slung up over my shoulder while she nurses, a smudge of coal on her left cheek from where the papa tickled her with his beard and covered her in kisses, her squealing and signing "more" and he, fingers and hands and blue jeans covered in black soot, installing the new coal stove in the kitchen.
I remember last year, a chilly fall day, she was due a week earlier and had not come and with my midwife on notice, I faithfully glugged the slippery oil down to help her come. Next night she did, pink and red and noisy. We could hardly hear ourselves above the hollers. This week she'll be one year old, how time flies in the face of life. Now she is round cheeked and even rounder thighed and particular about doling out affection and hilariously funny when she is over tired, peels of deep belly laughter rolling in waves at the slightest provocation.
I am asked all the time by nervous mothers, expecting their second child, if it is possible to love the second child as much as the first, or will the second child play second best or if I still feel the thrill of new life holding a new babe in arms all these babes later. I've loved nine children in our home now (foster babes included), and have six for keeps for a little while, and I still love and worry endlessly about the ones who left, and still feel light as air and wear an impossible grin when I've found we're expecting another child. Love is a supernatural, not-of-this-earth thing. Love multiplies. It isn't divided or sorted or handed out in portions according to earthly measure. Such is its beauty.
Happy birthday week, Sweet Addie-girl. Happy birthday.
10 comments:
Happy Birthday to your little Addie!
I just told my husband last night that I always worry that I just won't love the next baby as much as I love the little one in the room next door. Even though every time I have found those fears unfounded. I think that love has the chance to multiply because with each baby that comes we learn to love ourselves a little less and them a little more.
Happy Birthday Addie!! :)
Happy Birthday to your precious daughter....
I have 6 as well, they are a joy...
Deanna
Did i understand you correctly? Are you expecting again? am i the first to congratulate? Wow!!!
So glad you are back again. You are right, love does not come in a finite amount and it is a wonderful thing to watch in multiple in a growing family. :)
Nice to see you back!
Felicity x
Simply beautiful.
And I thought mine was the only one who used my chin, my nose, whatever, for a footrest while nursing. ;)
It was great to hear about your family again! I can't believe your baby is a year! I remember when my last baby turned a year and I felt a little sad, knowing he was my last. After I thought about it I realized I didn't have any regrets, he had slept with us,(bad, I know) I took him everywhere and I was home with him! Now he is 16 and will be off to college sooner than I'd like.
Happy Birthday little one.. Where did the last year go???
Sue in NJ
{smile} no, Olga, no new wee one coming yet.
Hannah
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