Remembering the 'Lasts'

Have you noticed how quickly babies grow? Here is my tiny little newborn baby

(Daniel 1st of August 2008)

and five and a half months later he said the powerful words: “ma-ma-ma-ma!”

(Daniel 14 Jan. 2009)

Aren’t those the most beautiful words? It is the 7th time I am hearing it and still it is like heavenly music to my ears. I cannot help stopping everything, to just enjoy the sound of it. Before long he will start crawling,

(Brother CJ start crawling Aug. 1995)

then he will try out his first steps

(Brother CJ start walking 1995 Nov. 1995)

and in the blink of an eye he will be a young man.

(brother CJ Dec. 2008)

Yesterday was Daniel’s first “ma-ma”.

We all jot it down, or as in my case, make a mental note - the “firsts”.

The first time you hold your tiny little baby in your arms;

(Daniel 2 hours old Aug 2008)

the first cry; the first time you look him in the eye; the first smile; the first tooth;

(Sister Heidi-Mari Oct. 2003)

the first step; the first time he wrote his name; the first musical instrument exam; and the list goes on and on.

But do we remember the ‘lasts”?
The last time you could sing him to sleep in your arms; the last time you fed him on your breast; the last time you could read him a story on your lap;

(Mommy and brother Josua Aug 2004)

the last time you changed his nappy; the last time he cried out because he was afraid of the thunderstorm; the last time you were allowed to dress him; the last time you could give him a kiss, without him giving you a shy smile… Some of these baby- and childrearing chores are time consuming and tiring, but what a special time it is.

The other day a young, exhausted mother wrote me a letter. Her baby was almost one year old, and they were going through a tough time. Baby resisted going to bed at night, tried to stay up as long as possible, woke every 3hours for feeds. During the day only Mommy was good enough to fulfill baby’s needs and everything in the house come to a standstill. She cried out desperately for help.

I believe the battle against resenting your baby is won in your heart’s attitude. It is won by embracing motherhood and remembering how quickly your baby will pass this stage. It never lasts forever. Ask me, I have 7, and I believe that this is the reason why I enjoy every baby more and more.

It is such a short period of time that your baby is dependent on you alone. My firstborn is now 14 years old and I long for just one more opportunity to crawl up behind him, rubbing his back, holding his puffy, little hand - I long for the time he was dependent on me for life. He has grown up so quickly and is now starting to spread his wings.
Please enjoy every moment of your baby/toddler. This is the most precious time of your life.

A wise woman once wrote to me reminding me, ‘these are the never years'. Never enough money, never enough time, never enough sleep – but always enough love. The sweetest kiss of a baby; the toothpaste-flavoured kiss of a child on his way to bed; the sleepy kiss of a husband who is just as tired as you.

These are the busy years, the wonderful, hectic, impossible years. Soon the children will be grown and I’ll have plenty of time to organise my house, to sew and to cultivate outside interests. I wonder if it will be as wonderful as I sometimes dream it will? Or am I in the middle of the wonderful years… right now?

(Brother David kissing Mommy)