Ode to My Baby

Thank you for the nights
You wouldn't sleep and I held you close,
The days we cried together
Mutual tiredness, exasperation, a journey every mother knows.

The telling off I hated myself for
When those muddy hand prints were left on the wall,
The tears that spilled down chubby toddler cheeks
And I knew you never meant to be naughty at all.

The dinners I made destined for
The dog, my plate, the bin,
When you refused to eat your greens or meat
And I gave up exhausted again.

The trauma of moving from breast
To bottle and the tears we shed,
Your confusion over a change so big
So monumental in your baby head.

The scraped knees and bruised shins
From adventures in which you were the best,
Too big for me, for Dad, your boots
And needing our cuddles less.

First smiles, steps, days at school
The fear and excitement on your face,
The friendships, fall outs,
Longing for time together, holidays.

Watching you grow from a helpless babe
To a beautiful girl with the biggest heart,
I look at you in wonder
This my best achievement, my finest work of art.


L xx