As I feed my twelve month old son, cradled in my arms, I can smell strawberries. At lunchtime he scrunched pieces of strawberry into his fist and managed to get most of them in his mouth. The rest fell onto his doggy T-shirt and his pale blue shorts, no longer just pale blue.
I look at that chubby fist now grabbing onto my blouse. I can't believe he is mine.
He has just woken up from his afternoon nap. He's still sleepy. There are pink marks on his beautiful face. He must have slept with his hand by his head. He has been sweating. His hair sits in damp curls against his neck.
Early September sunshine dapples through the trees and dances on his blond head. It illuminates his long eye lashes - wasted on a boy!
He is in a trance, gulping the warm milk. His nose twitches as he drinks, like a little rabbit. I can see the shape of a dolphin in his ear. This has fascinated me since I first noticed it, a few days after he was born.
He has had his fill of milk and pulls away. I gently wipe the trickle of milk that dribbles down his chin. He gives me a gummy, satisfied smile. Two bottom teeth are now visible. He won't be a baby for much longer, but he'll always be my baby.
I love it when they've had strawberries and you can still smell it hours later. At other times my little boy smells like freshly baked bread that's just come out of the oven ... yummy.
ReplyDeleteyou can have a strawberry smelly kiss from your babyy
ReplyDeleteMy wife always laments the loss of this part of having our kids. Even when she had three to deal with at once she tried doing as much nursing as possible.
ReplyDeleteAwwww...Cute :) I Love the smell of strawberries! xx
ReplyDeleteSo cute!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous post. Well-written and heartfelt. Lovely x
ReplyDeleteSandy I love your posts, they always bring a little lump to my throat, there is something about those sleepy baby moments that never fail to make my breath catch in my throat with the wonder of what we have.....and couldn't you just eat a baby who smells of strawberries!!
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful x
ReplyDeleteHey Sandy...loving your blog, keep it up!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Julie
www.madenglishwoman40.blogspot.com
Awww lovely post. So true about the eyelashes!! Toddler has thick black lashes, which on a blonde haired, blue eyed boy are going to break some hearts! Luckily baby girl has inherited these eyelashes too...maybe not so lucky for her daddy! I love when they are sleeping in your arms, you just want to sit there with them forever!
ReplyDeleteI had a wonderful strawberry smell moment today too. Having a cuddle, reading a book and the little one grabbed up and placed his hand on my cheek. It smelt of warm, lovely, strawberryness, yummy yummy! The thing is I don't really remember him having strawberries! Must have been a treat from Grandma. Lovely post, made me smile x
ReplyDeleteFrogs+Sprogs, mmm freshly baked bread is a wonderful smell. He doesn't always smell as fragrant!
ReplyDeleteDragonfly, yes I did, it was lovely :-)
The Mommy Daddy, wow, three at once? I take my hat off you your wife. It is a special time that I'm trying to cherish.
Emma, thanks, me too x
Mwa, thanks and he is :-)
Maternal Tales, thank you so much x
Lorraine, thank you. I was really trying to put down in words how I felt at the time. In amongst the everyday I try to stop and breathe in my boys. But I couldn't eat a whole one! ;-) x
New Mummy, Thank you x
Julie, thank you, I'll try! Thank you for visiting, I'm off to have a look at your blog now :-)
Laura, thank you. I think both my boys will be little heart-breakers when they grow up, but I'm biased! Yes, they don't fall asleep on you forever. You have to make the most of it x
ReplyDeleteSarah, thank you. Aw, your strawberry moment is lovely too. I love it when they reach out and touch your face x
What a beautiful post :)
ReplyDeleteMine is currently sleeping by my side and you made me stop to gave lovingly at him (for the hundredth time today!)
Funnily rnough, he has eyelashes that are wasted on a boy too- gets them from his daddy!
Leslieanne, thank you. I was really trying to capture how I felt when I was watching him. They are gorgeous aren't they?! :-)
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