Tonight I am inspired by my daughter’s little shoulderblades.
B and I have been spelling out B-A-T-H so much that soon it will be a code for nothing and just another way to tell her that it’s Time. We tell her it’s time for a bath and she runs straight to the tub. Even though she doesn’t need to, she bathes every day because why not? Babies know simple pleasures better than anyone else.
I count 1-2-3-4-5 when she stands up in the tub. She’s usually down by 3. It shouldn’t surprise me anymore when she follows my rules, but I’m still awestruck when she does what she’s supposed to do. Watching her learn and retain is miraculous. Once she didn’t even exist. Then she did. Then she was born. Then she started understanding us. Then she started minding us.
Sitting alongside the tub, I like to get right up in her face and examine her profile. With her pacifier out, I can see her lips and appreciate her jaw when it’s not tightened by the constant sucking. She usually splashes me away because I get too close. Sometimes she smiles under the paci and her eyes beam.
She stretches to get to the rubber duck. Her tiny shoulderblades flex back and forth, a motion that illustrates her body working in harmony. I remind myself to change the lightbulb in the bathroom so I can have more light to see her move.
It is her custom to call out DA-DA when she’s done with her bath. He comes in and dries her while I get her toothbrush ready. She sucks out all the toothpaste before any serious brushing occurs. I act annoyed but knowing that those teeth are connected to those shoulderblades diffuses me. She runs buck naked back to her room. She just learned to run so we let her.
The running, the shoulderblades, the beaming eyes: they are all my C.
The Waiting 
Awww. You’re in love! I loved watching my babies. For you it’s shoulder blades; for me it was the back of their necks and their lovely little feet. I actually took pictures of their necks!
I am really fond of her clavicles too. She is just so dainty!
I wish she could stay little like this for you and Ben. Then you wouldn’t have to miss her the way I “miss” my babies who grew up! Lovely post!
Thank you! Your babies grew into some amazing people. As much as I adore her now, I am looking forward to knowing her as a big person too.
This is so touchingly written! Sounds like a great time for both of you.
Thanks! It is a lot of fun, despite the fact that she loves dumping water all over me. I’ll get over it.
Such a magical little creature she is :)
She is charmed, for sure ;D
Bath time is the best part of the day ’round these parts, too. Baby C goes tries to get in before there’s even water and before I have taken his clothes off….
Hey! You changed your Gravatar! Me likey! And yes, baths are awesome. C usually tries to get in with her clothes on too.
Hahaha. It’ll be bath time in a few minutes, coincidentally.
I always love the little C observations. Bath time is so cozy for kids. I loved the bath so much. And I loved seeing kids in the bath. So little and cute :)
I am trying to write more of these little things down because I am somewhat obsessed with how quickly her life is flying by. You *may* have never heard me say this before, but she is growing up way too quickly. ;D
What a sweet, sweet girl:) Beautifully written!
Thank you! Love you!
I remember being mesmerized by their belly buttons. To think I fed them through that healed fold of skin seemed like a little miracle to me. Now the damn things only carry around lint. Hahahahaha!
Hahahaha! Love it! I think we as parents all become a little obsessed with our babies’ bodies. It still amazes me that she was inside me before she was born!
I know what you mean my dear. I looked at them and thought, wow I made those eyes, arms, legs, feet, toes and sex organs. WOW!
This is simply sublime.
Awww, thanks ;D I love that word.
It’s the simple things. :)
The whole world can be found in a moment.
It’s the little things that are simply magical!
I’m trying to write more of them down. I recall you telling me a bajillion years ago (AKA about 10 months ago) that you filled up notebooks with things your kids said and did. So much truth there.
Yes! I still do that. Because we think we’ll remember until we forget.
So sweet! Growing up we had a commercial on Tv for Carter’s PJ’s and I always remember the jingle, “If they could just stay little, till their Carter’s wear out…” Wish I could have just one day to relive it all! Looking back, it really went by quickly! Enjoy your little one :) ~maria
Thanks, Maria! I certainly will! PS Carters are the best. Their clothes are so cute and durable!
Em, your beautiful musings of your sweet baby just take my breath away. You say this: “I act annoyed but knowing that those teeth are connected to those shoulderblades diffuses me. She runs buck naked back to her room. She just learned to run so we let her.” The fact that you are in so connection with that and realize just how special that is, well, you’re not only a MOM but a beautifully creative writer. Seriously, that’s the shit that books, screenplays and those moments that people go, “Yes! I’ve felt just like that!” are made of. Well done, my friend. xxoo
Thanks, Brig! Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply to your comment. I have been off in La La Land for a bit. But yes, that little girl melts my heart. I love trying to describe how she makes me feel. I could never really do it, but it’s a wonderful exercise in love to try.
Emily, another post written straight from the heart. I hope you’re saving all of your C posts so one day when she’s a woman herself, maybe even a mom, she can see just how much she was adored.
Wonderful post – yours often bring on the tears…thank you for reminding me to note the details, all the details…
Thank you! It’s only been recently that I’ve been trying to record these little things as they come. The first year is so hard and draining, and I guess the second year has its challenges too, but it has offered me many more chances for introspection.
Yesterday I read the first line and had to stop because it was way too cute and precious. Those little shoulder blades… Is there anything better? This post is yummy with Cee observations. I used to give Lily a bath everyday, too. Sometimes twice a day! LOl! It’s such a great mommy time to be up close and observe and do some serious bonding. Bath time is the best. Keep writing these type of posts — Cee will treasure them always. You’re such a keen writer, Em. How lucky for Cee that her Mama can make words dance off the page. ;)
xoxox
Thank you Lisa! Sorry I’m just now replying to your comment. I have been a bit of a lazy blogger lately and I’ve been letting a lot of these comments go undetected for far too long.
But yes, I LOVE bath time. I like to sometimes take a bath with her too because she likes my belly button. I think she knows she used to be on the other side of it ;)
Baby love. Is there anything sweeter? No. Bath time was my favorite, for a long time. Totally agree with Lisa!
It is the absolute best! It’s such a soothing, peaceful time. That is, until she dumps a bucket of water all over me.
Or, on the bathroom floor. Seriously.
Oh, I can’t wait for bathtime to be fun again! I put my twins in the tub and it’s just an endless stream of “On your bum!” “Get on your bum!” “We sit on our bums in the tub!” To the point where my husband and I rock-paper-scissors whose turn it is to do bathtime.
Your post has inspired me to have a little more patience and to notice and appreciate the little wonders.
Thanks, Kat! Sorry I’m just now replying to your sweet comment! I’ve been a naughty blogger…
Some key details I left out of the post are when she dumps water all over me, stands up and WON’T sit down no matter what I say, and sticks the wash rag in her mouth to suck all the soap out of it. There’s always a flip side to everything ;)