that feeling when

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A Mother at Bedtime

Evenings are a rush 
Of time
Of patience
Of love

Brush your teeth, put on your jammies
Settle so I can tuck you in
sudden bursts of energy of children not ready for bed

You want a story, a podcast, music
Mommy needs quiet, peace, sleep

Mommy loves you
But she is tired
Her ears are ringing from the noise of childhood
Her head is throbbing from the chaos
Your joy is overwhelming
Especially at the last minute
How can such a tiny person make so much noise

Finally silence
The rush of sleep falls over you
Your tiny body gives in to weary
A sudden realization of exhaustion

And I will sit here silently
Until you fall asleep
You need me
I need you

I need your chaos
Your laughter
Your joy

One Day

he hated when my belt pushed against him in the womb 
and then one day he was grown

he screamed so loud when he was born he went to the NICU
and then one day he was grown

he refused bottles at daycare because he wanted me to nurse
and then one day he was grown

he learned to walk and rawr
in the same week
and then one day he was grown

he scrapped both knees
called his bandaids stickers
and then one day he was grown

he fell asleep after five minutes in the car but wouldn’t sleep in his crib
and then one day he was grown

he was obsessed with dinosaurs and Paw Patrol
and then one day he was grown

he was so brave on his first day of school while I bawled
and then one day he was grown

he is thirsty for knowledge when it’s something he loves
and then one day he’ll be grown

he is so wild and exhausting and full of life
and then one day he’ll be grown

he still needs me to sit with him at night when he gets scared
and then one day he’ll be grown

he still says he loves me every once in a blue moon
and then one day he’ll be grown.