the days are long, the years short
Time has chugged along this spring and early summer.
Despite long, difficult weeks working from home. Despite endless hours using sidewalk chalk or bottles upon bottles of bubble solution. Despite an always messy home full of stir crazy boys during the “shelter at home”. Despite the agonizing effort of learning how to hold a pencil or write letters (because I was clearly not meant to be an educator). Despite then going back to work, and t-ball, and swimming lessons, and summer school, and getting dinner on the table.
In the thick of it, it sometimes feels it may be like this forever. But then you blink and your newborn is pulling up on the ottoman and eating fistfuls of puffs and you realize your home will never again house an infant. The years, unfortunately, are so short.
I’ve actually been contemplating first birthday plans. I almost have a KINDERGARTNER. Just when you find yourself overwhelmed by all the stuff you find yourself weepy over that stuff passing right on by.
Tonight I want to share some sweet pictures my sister captured of my kids in their element. No posing or props involved. Just three wild boys romping around in a messy playroom.
Amanda came up with this idea and I’m so glad! I’ll treasure these little candid shots of our boys playing, especially when my house is no longer strewn with toys.
And since I’m in my feelings, I wanted to share one of my all-time favorite poems that this shoot brought to mind It’s called Song For a Fifth Child by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton (who was also from Missouri!). I won’t ever have a fifth child so I’ll just have to take her word for it…
Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!
Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby, loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.)
Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby, and babies don’t keep.
If that doesn’t get you!
And honestly– “dishes are waiting and bills are past due, the shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew and out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo” is my actual life of late. Still, life is good.
If you are local, Amanda is booking these playroom sessions now! Check out her page — AmandaKnoner.com
