Thursday, April 14, 2011

I Get To Keep Them Because They Are Mine

When I was little I was one of those baby-crazy kind of girls.
I loved babies and little kids so much that I begged to take on my sister's babysitting jobs (to which she gladly obliged).
I was a mother's helper from age 10-12 for a lady in the ward for free (because being with her children was all the reward I needed- imagine that?!).
I bounced her very heavy baby on my very tiny hip quite contently every day of the summer of my 5th grade year.
One time I babysat for her at night and when I got there the baby was already put to bed so I waited until they left and actually WOKE him up just so I could see him and play with him for a bit (putting him back to bed of course before his parents caught me).
If there was a baby in the vicinity I wanted to hold it.
I was that sort of little girl.

I always knew I would never wait to have children. I knew I would have a baby as soon as humanly possible. (honeymoon?)

Now that I'm a mother, it certainly is different. I don't crave OPB (other people's babies) quite like I used to and a church calling (death sentence) to the nursery would make me dry heave. It's obviously hard, tiring & relentless work and requires much more than a simple love of children (I still think I'm shell shocked on just how hard it is).

But, when I walk in the room and this little (red headed) baby looks up at me with his father's eyes, sprint-crawling across the room to my arms, beaming and looking for nurturing and love (and possibly a diaper change) it NEVER gets old

because I don't have to hand this one back to its mother.
And that is seriously the best.

8 comments:

Henderson said...

Very sweet--and a very cute little guy! Isn't it funny how once you become a mother the fascination and adoration of OPB completely changes?!

Kera said...

i can't relate at all, but great post nonetheless. xx

Wende said...

Great pictures! I LOVE Calvin's red hair! You did a fabulous job last night. :)

Rebekah V. said...

I love skinny 5th grade kelly holding a baby that weighs the same as her all summer afternoon! And I can't wait to hold YOUR baby all summer afternoon (soon soon soon) and I will also add that I am glad that, at the end of the day, I can give him back to his(big-hearted, tenacious, feisty, dedicated, tired) mother!

kate said...

funny. i was that way when i was younger. babysitter club what's up, but the older i got babies freaked me out (still do.. love em, but they scare the crap out of me.)

your babies are beautiful, and i can't get over that RED hair! beautiful!

Emily said...

I AM that girl! I've wanted babies for FOREVER! Still patiently waiting and trying to take other people's babies as well. :)

robin said...

wow. your dedication to opb as a young girl amazes me! i hated babysitting. but now i do it all day!

but it is different, thank goodness. i am glad they are mine.

Lauren Elizabeth Stanford said...

Same way. I loved kids, loved babysitting, loved helping my mom with my baby brothers, etc. and now I have 2 of my very own. Something I am learning is that there are pros and cons to babysitting and having your own kids:
1. Babysitting, at the end of the night, you get to go home. You don't have to deal with discipline or even worry too much about how they are going to be and who they are going to become when they grow up.
Mommy: You don't love anyone more than your kids. They steal your heart in a way not known to mankind. You get to see the funny little things that they do and say every day. You get to be the first one they run to when they are excited, hurt, disappointed, etc. The mommy aspect is WAY more difficult, but it is WAY better. :)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
© whoopsy vaisey 2006