My middle of the night wake-up call to nurse our eight-month old usually comes around 3:30. It’s never loud or shrill, just a little cry out to let me know a little milk and a cuddle is in order.
I tie back my hair, put on my glasses and snuggly robe and pad to the nursery where I’m always greeted with a big, loving smile. I pick up my warm little bundle and sink into the comfortable leather chair and put my feet up on the ottoman and begin to nurse. I’m awake, and I’m completely in love. I’m often asked why I don’t wean Hannah off of that night feeding. To me, the answer is simple: She’s only my baby once.
The other night, Hannah decided we should start our day after she was finished nursing. I wasn’t in complete agreement but her fussing was threatening to force my husband to also start his Saturday morning at 4:00 and after a long week of work, no amount of coffee could ever make that right.
So Hannah and I got up and quietly played in the dim lamp light of the living room. We stacked the coloured rings over and over again. We sorted shapes and we practiced sitting up without support. We even tried to encourage crawling by placing a ball slightly out of reach. In time, the sun was coming up.
I went to the window and opened the blinds and together, we watched the stars fade as the sky went from a deep to a light blue, and then became streaked with magnificent bands of pink and orange. I looked at Hannah’s face and a very contented smile. She then started fiddling with my night shirt, rooting for her first breakfast.
I made my way to the couch and put her on my breast. She fell asleep after a few minutes—something I wasn’t expecting. She hasn’t done that in a long time, but I let her. I watched her little eyes flutter as she dreamed and silently thanked her for this early morning.
This time is fleeting. I know that when I’m back at work in a couple of months, I’ll be wishing I had a few extra hours to play with her, even if it is in the dark, wee hours of the morning.
Photo Credit
© Lara Perzoff
Guest Author Bio
Lara Perzoff
As a new Mom to five month old Hannah and fairly new wife of Glen, Lara is finding her legs at balancing between motherhood and family. Her family is her true love, inspiring her to write down the many words in her head, preferably when she has two free hands to type. Lara has a background in public relations and broadcast journalism and has always been passionate about creative writing. Besides family time, Lara loves hiking, running, photography, adventure travel, a good cup of coffee with friends and yoga.
Recent Guest Author Articles:
- Empowered to Advocate: How to Become the Voice for the Silent
- How to Build a Celebration-Ready Wine Cellar
- Wander, Discover, Reflect: My Most Surprising Finds in Las Vegas
- Creating Meaningful Connections: What Ecosystems and Families Teach Us About Belonging
- How Breathwork Creates a Pathway Through Trauma: Beyond Traditional Approaches
Beautiful, Lara, I read this with tears still running down my cheeks.
Wow, beautifully written. My daughter is now 11 but I remember mornings like that. They are few and far between and you are right to cherish them.