Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Evening Ritual

~to my son on the eve of his first birthday~

You are cradled in the crook of my arm
And yet
You still reach up for me.

Little fingers touch my face.
You seek a piece of my hair
and place it in your hand.

It comforts you.

Night air flows in through the window behind us.

Skin to skin
we sit together in semi-darkness.
As we do every night.

You study my face from this cozy place.
Do you recognize me?

I am the girl who has been waiting for you.

Before you were you and I was me
You were there
Part of me
A promise.

Now, it is I who reaches for you.

I smooth your hair.
I relish your baby smell,
how you suckle...

It comforts me.

I do not want this day to end.

50 Comments:

Blogger carrie said...

I may be a bit hormonal, but this made me cry! What a beautiful poem for your son, all those feelings summed up perfectly!! And the hair smoothing . . . sniff.

Carrie

12:11 AM  
Blogger What's so funny? said...

This was so beautiful. I really enjoy your writing by the way.

I was just posting (since this is the only time I can do it) and got your comment on the other, small world.

12:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your words are sooo beautiful..
Happy birthday to your son, dear.

Hmm, I feel sorry for myself for not making him a poem on his first birthday :(

-aurora-

12:35 AM  
Blogger Sandra said...

I loved every word. That is exactly how I felt on the eve of my son's first birthday only I could never have captured it with such beauty.

3:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

5:05 AM  
Blogger Lindsay said...

That was the sweetest poem, I so wish I could write like that!!
Happy B-day to your little man!
Have a wonderul day!

5:27 AM  
Blogger Mama en Fuego said...

Darn it you made me cry in my Cheerios. *sniffle*

It doesn't help that my preggo hormones are moving at top speed.

5:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

*sniff, sniff*

That was beautiful.

5:59 AM  
Blogger Dana a/k/a Sunshine said...

What an absolutely beautiful poem and thoughts. So poignant. I almost cried! What a special time!

6:58 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Awwww...so, so sweet. I can just sense your love for your little one through this poem. You have painted a beautiful picture in your words. My little man will be 1 soon as well. He is a part of me as you so eloquently put it. I am touched!

7:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lovely. That baby hair, that baby smell. I'm still drinking it in with my own younger one. I know how quickly it changes.

8:53 AM  
Blogger Nut's mom said...

i'm gonna cry. and I DON'T cry

9:16 AM  
Blogger Dawn said...

This was beautiful. I can smell baby skin.

9:26 AM  
Blogger Debbie said...

*snuffle*

Oh, C, that was beautiful.

9:31 AM  
Blogger Cristina said...

Thanks. I can't help but be sentimental today. :)

9:37 AM  
Blogger Andrea said...

Wow. That was so touching. Thanks for giving us that glimpse. I already have the baby bug again, so that just made it worse. And better, since it made me remember those rocking chair moments with my son as he explored my face with his fingers. Thanks for that.

9:54 AM  
Blogger Christina_the_wench said...

So touching and beautiful. Lucky little boy you got there.

10:02 AM  
Blogger Babaloo said...

Mine used to play with my ring. Even when he got older he would sit on my lap and play with my ring. This was a very sweet, tribute.

11:19 AM  
Blogger Mama en Fuego said...

All I wanna know is...was he wearing his cute little Virgin Mary outfit?

1:02 PM  
Blogger Her Bad Mother said...

Big sigh. Lovely.

5:18 PM  
Blogger Chicky Chicky Baby said...

Its hard to type with tears in my keyboard.

That was very, very, very sweet. Now I want to go snuggle with my baby, but I don't dare wake her.

5:26 PM  
Blogger Ruth Dynamite said...

I love this.

5:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love it. Don't you wish you could just freeze time?

6:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

awww that was so sweet!

9:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh, that is truly beautiful! Happy birthday little guy!

This day is joyful, yet sad all at the same time. I know, I just experienced it myself!

9:48 PM  
Blogger Cristina said...

Becka: you remembered the Virgin Mary outfit!! Well, to answer your question, no he was not wearing it last night. But I do have it hung up in the closet, starched and pressed, ready to go for the next very special occasion...like my husband's upcoming work picnic. he he

10:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Woww... You've changed your lay-out here. I thought I was going to a wrong address :D. This new one is definitely awesome!!

Thanks for visiting my blog too.

-aurora-

12:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

that is soo sweet! I love the baby smell. HOw I don't want him to grow up!

1:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy birthday baby!

That was really sweet. I'm going to go sniff my baby's head now. When do they lose that baby head smell? I better get my sniffs in now.

3:47 AM  
Blogger Mom101 said...

Oh this is just beautiful. Brava.

5:03 AM  
Blogger crazymumma said...

I have not even had my morning coffee and I feel like crying when I read your words...
It never changes you know, my big girl turns 9 in a couple of days, and I cry at every birthday...
Absolutely beautiful, Thank you.

Anne

5:49 AM  
Blogger Bea said...

I'm not poetry girl. At all. But I loved - loved, loved - this. You can add my tears to the 8-foot-deep pool ('cause I am crying girl).

7:27 AM  
Blogger Gingers Mom said...

That was so sweet. I remember so clearly that feeling, right before my daughter turned 1. I was getting ready to wean her and sad because the time had passed so quickly. What a sweet moment and a sweet memory.

7:29 AM  
Blogger Jenn said...

.....makes me think of why I don't mind rocking my daughter to sleep every night. =o)

7:40 AM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Little Guy is so lucky. You both are. :)

8:49 AM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Little Guy is so lucky, C.... thank you for sharing this absolutely beautiful tribute to your evening ritual with us sentimental-lovin' women. :)

8:54 AM  
Blogger Catherine said...

And may I just say, DAMN BLOGGER!! And I love the new look of your space!!!

8:56 AM  
Blogger Mama en Fuego said...

LOL - Isn't revenge sweet?

8:59 AM  
Blogger Nut's mom said...

OOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! NEW DESIGN!!! I LIKE!!!!!

9:25 AM  
Blogger Debbie said...

yay! you put up the new design, and it looks sa-weet, baby.

:) xo

10:13 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Beautiful.

12:31 PM  
Blogger Stacy said...

beautiful, just beautiful!!! i love the new look, too. sorry i've been such a slacker with comments.

2:39 PM  
Blogger Jess said...

Beautiful!!

4:53 PM  
Blogger Catch said...

this is beautiful! do you have a new look on your blog??? Its very bright and pretty!

9:25 PM  
Blogger Cristina said...

Thanks for all your comments. I'm glad no one laughed at my attempt to be "poetic". I was feeling a bit gooey and sentimental yesterday!

9:41 PM  
Blogger Tracie Nall said...

That was beautiful!!

9:52 PM  
Blogger ditzymoi said...

that was so sweet ... and its a lovely poem ... i love that baby smell *sigh*
now ill always think of your poem and your baby on my birthday ... hes a little baby crab .. cancers are pretty neat people if i do say so myself :)

11:28 PM  
Blogger Cristina said...

Aw, Kim, you are sweet. And yes, Cancers are very cool people. Happy bday, girlie.

11:29 PM  
Blogger K. said...

Thanks for making me cry.

4:10 AM  
Blogger Oblivious Maven said...

Very, very nice.

12:39 PM  

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