These days will not last forever.

these days will not last forever.

you will not always have little curls yellow like summer hay bails and
bouncy.

or be missing all your teeth,

or spend 30 minutes in my lap
sitting in a tub of hot water
making faces,
watching our fingers wrinkle together like drying grapes in the sun
and peering at me to tickle you again.

You will not always
break timidly into the letter song

sound out your name without the h
or the r

find your belly button tucked neatly into a round
little belly filled with mostly pasta (no greens like your mama) or
look for mine (bu-button), quizzical, soft stretch marks where you began.

you will not always lean into kiss me with a 1/2 open baby bird mouth and
wrap your arms, like a slinky, around my neck,
waiting for the goodnight song, rest your head on my shoulder
say ni ni.
or cry for that. ask for wa wa, tuck the blanket tight around your face and close your eyes.

these days will not last forever.

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