I Will Baby My Baby

I will baby my baby,

I will snuggle him to sleep, I will hold him in my lap. I will carry him around so he can see what I’m doing. I will come running when he cries and nurse him late at night and rock him back to sleep when he wakes from a bad dream.

Because someday he won’t want me to touch him anymore.

I will baby my toddler.

I will let him make a mess. I will laugh when he paints with apple sauce and throws his dirty dishes on the floor. I will build a block tower for him to destroy. Over and over and over again. I will read him the first half of a thousand books but never finish because he always hands me a new one before the end. I will let him climb in the laundry basket that is full of folded clothes. I will build a fort out of bed sheets to play in together. I will watch him unroll the toilet paper with a grin on my face. I will listen to his song for a whole car ride. Or two whole car rides. Or three. I will pass a toy back and forth with him because he thinks it’s so funny.

Because someday he won’t want to play with me anymore.

I will baby my little boy,

I will take him to the museum, to the movies, to his favorite store. We will go to all of his friends parties and we will bring the best gift. I will take him to visit Grandma and cousins his best friend. I will go biking and swimming and scootering and sledding with him. We will play tag and hide and seek. I will take him on boats and planes and trains. I will take him to Disneyland, Europe, New York, Peru and beaches near and far. I will teach him about birds and bugs and rocks. We will do experiments and make messes. I will show him how to paint and grow carrots and make hummingbird food. We will bake and cook and invent new foods together. I will take him to karate or swim or dance class. I will buy him a trumpet, piano or harp and I will listen to every song he wants to share.

Because someday I won’t be here anymore.

I will baby my teenager.

I will take him to the mall to get the clothes he wants. I will buy him a skate board or a microscope or a robot building kit. I will make food for his friends and pretend I don’t hear them laughing all night and until the sun rises in the morning. I will be interested in his favorite books and video games and sports. I won’t mind the smell and the mess… or at least I will pretend that I don’t mind. I will always say yes to a friend coming over.

Because someday he won’t live with me anymore.

I will baby my young adult.

I will help him pay for college and an apartment and a car. I will let him choose his path and support each fork in the road he decides to follow. I will make his love interests feel welcome and accepted in our family.

Because someday he will have his own family to love.

I will baby my son.

No matter what. No matter when. I will be there forever. I will move the Earth and pull the stars from the sky. I will pour love out from every corner of my soul just for him. I will put him first. He will be my first thought in the morning and my last thought at night. I will lay awake worrying if I am doing it all right.

Because he is my son.