I heard Isabelle cry out through the monitor. But as quickly as it went on, it clicked off. The words of her pediatrician sailed through my head: “Teach her you come when she’s calm.” I should go upstairs now.
I saved my work on the computer, closed my office door, and climbed the stairs. I entered her room and saw her eyes looking back at me. She looked sleepy. She didn’t seem to want to get up so I sat down beside her crib. I turned my arm to the side and shimmied it through the slats. I rubbed her back and stroked her hair. Soon she went back to sleep.
I listened to my daughter’s breath. I admired her smooth skin. I savored her peacefulness. it isn’t always going to be this simple, I thought. Right there and right then I wanted to freeze time.
Suddenly, Isabelle’s foot moved. And then I heard Violet the Dog’s voice: “Two minutes of bedtime music. Snuggle up, Isabelle.” Her eyes popped open at the sound of her stuffed dog. I smiled at her and she giggled. I giggled too. And before I knew it, the two of us were laughing as her silly dog played it’s bedtime music.
Raising Literate Humans 
LOVE! I love that photo as well.
Bonnie
Thanks Bonnie. Too bad I didn’t get Violet in the frame!
So sweet! Savor the quiet moments, the sweet breath and the silly. All too soon it’s time for them to leave the nest. I love that you write about these moments here, to save them for the future. It’s like a little time capsule.
There will be many more moments ahead of you that will make you want to freeze time. You are fortunate that you are capturing some of them with your writing.
Oh so many memories that we wish we could freeze and never see melt away…but then there would be no time for the new memories just waiting to happen! Again, just love your stories about your daughter . . .
There is a richness to your capture of these small moments and thoughts, special moments preserved.
You are right, it all won’t be that easy…but the very act of motherhood is for the worthy and strong of heart. You are that person. xo
Freezing time, yes I understand those moments and desires. I loved your little inner dialogue here too. I remember those times, wondering what the right thing to do was. We all figure it out somehow don’t we? Loved reading this little sweet moment.
You captured such a sweet moment, photograph and emotion. Hold on to these moments, Stacey!
So sweet! My mom always talks about how much she loved sitting with me when I slept, and this post reminds me of how she describes it. (Even when I was home on breaks from college, she would sneak into my room in the early morning and watch me sleep!) While you can’t really freeze time, I think you’ve done a pretty wonderful job of preserving it here!
What a beautiful picture! There are so many moments that you want to freeze and celebrate. As Isabelle gets older, the moments will be different, but just as special and freeze-worthy. Thanks for the reminder to slow down and savor.
So sweet. Remember how simple these times are. Sometimes I think we forget and get swept away into the “Must do.” “Must be.” “Must have.” mentality of society, and I think we do have the choice to slow down our moments so that at the very least, we can capture them more vividly and in more detail to hold on to, since they will move on whether we are ready or not. 🙂
I wish we had had blogging – or even just the computers we have now – when my kids were little. How much nicer to be able to record life’s precious moments easily in little “freeze frames”!