Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Davy, Davy the Wonder Baby

Davy is 4 and a half months old today.
You can chalk it up to hormones if you want, but the waves of love that wash over me when I look into his sweet, smiling eyes leave me limp.
He brings me so much joy.



People often comment on what a good baby Davy is.
I've been fortunate--all of my babies have been easy.
Seldom fussy, never colicky or clingy, they were all good babies.
But Davy surpasses them all.
I call him the Wonder Baby because he really is.
He is just mellow, calm and happy.
Oh that boy is happy.
He just loves to be with people.
He'll let anybody hold him and he smiles and talks to them while they do.
Or, if he's tired, he'll fall asleep in their arms.
He loves me best of all, though.
I'm not ashamed to say that I love that.




4 and a half months is so much fun with him.
He grabs everything now and tries to put it in his mouth.
He rolls around and loves to be rough-housed with.
He loves to be tickled.
He laughs out loud.
He likes to be thrown up in the air and to ride the horsey on my knee.
He smiles and grins and tries so hard to get a word or 2 out of his mouth.
He's not a newborn anymore.
He's a baby.




And, like all my babies, he's got those roly-poly thighs that strangers ask if they can squeeze.
He's not the biggest 4 month old I've had, but at 18 pounds he's putting in a good effort.
If he were my first baby I would be shouting from the rooftops that he's a great sleeper.
He naps and naps during the day.
He just goes to sleep when I lay him down.
And for months now, he's only woken once in the night to eat.
For the past 3 nights he's slept 10 hours straight through.
But,  I've done this enough times to know that as soon as he gets into a routine, something will change.
If he sleeps more now, he'll sleep less later.
Or he'll be the one who wants to sleep in our bed.
Whatever.
I've done this enough times not to get upset about it.
I won't feel ripped off that he's not sleeping more.
We'll all be sleeping more, eventually.




The best part about this little boy is how much he reminds me to be in the moment with him.
I dread, truly dread, him turning 1, then 2 then 7.
I know now how fast it all goes by and that I'll never get it back.
I am more present with David than I was with any of my other babies.
Because I know.
Soon enough, he'll be standing at the window, calling to his big brothers, or his sister, and he'll be busy.
Busy with toys, busy with playing, busy exploring, making messes and making me chase him all over creation.




He won't be content to simply sit on my lap and let me nibble his toes.
Right now that's his favorite place in the world.
I cherish that.
Is it weird to say that I already miss these days?
Being a mama is beautifully, wonderfully, amazingly hard.


I try to remember that with the other kids too.
Someday James won't ask me to hold his hand when he's up coughing in the middle of the night.
William won't climb into bed with me in the morning.
And Lilly won't be thrilled to brush my hair.
I need to love them all hard.
Right this minute, because the minutes are racing by.
And I never know when they will stop.



There are a lot of different reasons why David's presence in my life means so much.
He is a tangible example of God's provision after a time of much loss.
He's far enough down the line that I finally know how to relax and simply enjoy my baby.
He is the light of his siblings' eyes.
And, I have a sneaking suspicion he'll be our last baby.
I hear other women say that so confidently.
With happiness even.
But that's not me.
I mourn being done with babies.
And while I can't imagine going through another pregnancy, I can imagine more babies.
Because they're wonderful.
He's wonderful.
And I love him to the very core of my being.
"A babe in the house is a well-spring of pleasure." (source)
And you are, Baby Davy.
You are indeed.
I love you so.
Love from,
Mommy
............................................................................................
I admit, Davy is easy to love.
What baby isn't?
But, like when I first fell in love with Aaron, it hasn't gotten hard yet.
Those days will come.
It happens to all of us.
And I'll have days with him like I do with the others.

By the end of the day today my patience was worn thin.
I was so tired of being needed, tired of messes, tired of sweeping up crumbs and tired of noise.
I just wanted to be done.
And I was grouchy and mean.
I had to apologize.


Do you ever wonder what their last memory of you will be?
Do you ever wonder if they'll remember you yelling more than they'll remember you smiling?
Do you ever think of the time you've wasted getting upset about stupid things?


Having Davy around reminds me of these things.
He reminds me to give them all my best.
And to pick up and try again when I give them my worst.
It's a good thing to remember.
Who, or what, are you giving your best to?


PS.  I just read this post by my friend, Hannah.
It fit so well with this post.  
It reminded me that I need to give my best to my husband too, not just my children.
How often have I given him the dregs of what's left of me after the kids are down for the night.
Or worse yet, given him nothing at all because I'm worn out and he's a grown up and can handle it.
Yes, he needs the best of me too.
Go read it and be encouraged.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

this has me in tears.
i have been thinking of all these things.
in light of the going-on's of this week, this spoke to me.
im a mess and i thank you.
thank you for making me think and savor.

Pam... said...

And what squishable chubby thighs. And what a sweet deeply tweakable dimple. The angels kiss puts those dimples there, you know. One of our girls got two kisses! One on each cheek. I am so jealous!

That first sheet picture. Wide eyes when the sheet hides them! Brings back memories and a lump in my throat. For though I've birthed more babies than most people I know, I still must cry out to God to keep my heart still and content should I be done with that lovely season of life.

Put He writes our stories, and I'm so glad. And He has more wonderful chapters in the making that are full of wonder and awe. And if we just cherish the day; each day and all that is in it, as you are reminding us to; we will have no regrets. Only sweet memories to pull up and play back slowly. And they only sweeten with time you know.

Maybe you will adopt one day? Maybe you will be part of a child's life in a poverty stricken country. Or spend time in a place full of children. Who knows how God will fill the longings of our hearts? That is the anticipation we get to experience as we walk with Him. It is a wonderful life.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad I read this. I love your perspective on motherhood, and on sleep!!! :0)

Davy is absolutely, chubbily, babylicious!!! I have a ten month old and I think she will be our last. I feel the same way you do, as well...It's sad to think that I might not have any more babies. Babies are such a blessing.

Unknown said...

Hi :) Clicked over from We Encourage :)

I ask myself those questions often... what will they remember of their childhood... of me? What am I giving them to take with them the rest of their life? Am I creating memories or baggage?

Whew!

Thank you for this reminder to give them my best.

the world so sweet said...

thank you for this amazing post. i needed to read this and ... I'm encouraged!

Betsi* said...

My darling little Luke is teaching me the same things right now. And though he's still not a very good sleeper, I'm savoring each moment with him too. <3

Maggie said...

Davy is so delicious! (And Lilly the flowergirl... wow. Pure adorable-ness, if there is such a word.) I'm enjoying the fleeting moments with my own newborn right now. He's 3 weeks, and we're having breastfeeding issues and it can be so frustrating. I was wondering if you could do another post about the diet restrictions you're on with Davy, and what you actually eat. I've cut out dairy and it's hard, thinking about cutting out wheat but I can't imagine what I'll eat. And let me tell you, I am one hungry lady.

hennymats said...

Yep, wondering. A lot. Or maybe not enough, because I get tired and grouchy a lot lately.

Hmmmm, so if you could send me the order number for a wonder baby I might just have another one... Because I am done, but I do have a hard time with that. But a little wonder baby... ;)

JDzJane said...

Its funny how the Lord uses your post to speak to me and to convict me. I know I've said it many times. Thank you for being obedient and writing in your blog post what you feel. Its like you are in my head sometimes. I wonder if all mom's feel like this. And with my 4th I felt the same way. She's amazing. Though now she's a toddler. :( It went by waaay to quickly. I'd been asking the Lord for another because I just love the baby stage. But my babies need me in a different way now. My prayer is that I can be the mom that the Lord has called me to be and be the teacher that He's called me to be. I love reading your blog, I'm always encouraged and convicted and the Lord just really speaks to me. Thank you.

jdzjane