Dinner and a baby
I just lifted my hand to my face to mindless pick the zit that’s growing in my right eyebrow, and realized that my hands still smell slightly of baby. Of that inarticulateable infant scent that contains trust and sleep and love and shampoo that doesn’t sting. I don’t particularly want to wash my hands (but I must as there are still dishes to be done).
Tonight was the 5th annual summer book club dinner at my apartment, although these days, we’re calling ourselves the defunct book club, since we no longer meet regularly as a book club and there’s never a book. This was the first year that a baby was one of the dinner guests, and while she didn’t eat anything more than the milk that her mommy provided, she was the star of the evening.
Towards the end of the night, when we were sitting around the table at angles, with bits of dessert and remnants of wine, I held her as she fell asleep. Her warm, compact little body rested on my chest and stomach, and I could feel the tickle of her breath on my skin. Sitting there, all the frustrations of the day dropping off my body in pieces, crashing to the carpet and disappeared with a shimmer as I rubbed my lips over her hair and inhaled. At one point, I made eye contact with Jamie (her mama) and whispered, “I just love her. This is perfect.” She nodded back with such joy and love in her eyes for this little person she had made that I could feel it myself.
There is nothing like a good baby fix to make a day just a little better.
July 13th, 2006 07:23
The feeling continues as you see these babies grow and get into adventures and misadventures. All stages seem equally perfect (proud auntie speak - although I have parallel experiences with friends kids too).
July 13th, 2006 08:09
Once again, Amen. I still feel it to this day, and he’s five now.
July 13th, 2006 11:38
I loved falling asleep on you. My mom says I can come over any time you need a little pick me up!
July 13th, 2006 22:32
Maybe it’s crazy, but reading your post (yesterday actually) made me feel calmer!
July 14th, 2006 11:32
Why you yourself were one sweet baby. I would lie on my back with you on my tummy and gently rock you up and down trying to coax you to sleep. I loved that. How disappointed I was when the same technique did not ever work on your sister. You were my favorite tummy rocker.
July 17th, 2006 12:50
There’s nothing sweeter than the smell of a baby and them falling asleep in your amrms. My 4 years old rarely lets me savior these moments anymore b/c he’s everywhere all the time, but I did get a little bit of that yesterday afternoon when he woke from his nap. I just ate it up b/c I know in the not so distant future I won’t be getting that anymore. :/