We received the children's book Let Me Hold You Longer for Christmas last year from my Mom. It has been out lately since we moved the entertainments center Caleb wanted me to read it to him the other day. I absolutely love this book, and as a parent it really makes me stop and think about my time with Caleb as I watch him grow up. I told him it makes Mommy kinda sad to read that book so now when he sees it he says "that book makes you sad?"
Let Me Hold You Longer is about our children's lasts. We are good to record in some way (baby books, journals, pictures) all of their firsts and have to tell eveyone about them....first smile, first time to roll over, first tooth, first word, first day of kindergarten, first baseball game. We like to keep track of these as we watch our children develop. We aren't so quick to notice their lasts as they are happening though....the last time he wants to be carried on my hip, the last time he climbs in our bed in the middle of the night, the last time he colors a picture for me, the last time I get to help him study for a test. Some of the lasts have already passed for us, and some we have yet to experience. The book asks, "Would I have held on longer if I'd known they were your last?"
This book always reminds me our little boy is growing up. I try so hard to savor these moments with him. In the past three years, our routines have changed several times. I remember when we were still breastfeeding not being able to imagine life without breastfeeding or when he was still in a baby bed not being able to imagine him in a big boy bed. Today it's hard to imagine him not wanting to snuggle in the mornings or that he won't need my help at all some day to tie his shoes or reach something from a top shelf. I know those days will come though. While it does make me sad in a way to think of our baby boy not being a baby anymore, I continue to enjoy now and look forward to what joy the next stages will bring.
A couple of the reviews I read did not like this book, but I think they missed the point of it. The author is not asking us to live in the past, she is reminding us to cherish each moment as our children grow.
I would definitely recommend this book for any parent. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
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"Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume." ~Jean de Boufflers
2 comments:
I am always so glad to hear when a mother is enjoying her child at whatever point they're at now. The time passes all too quickly. I hope you will continue to make the most of every minute you have with him now. If you have a chance, you might enjoy reading a post I did in August. Here is the direct link.
Doors
Since I know that Denali is the last child I will (most likely) have, I have been treasuring every step more than I did with Emlyn, realizing that the new things can be good but that they almost always replace something that was just as sweet. I will check out that book. Thanks for posting about it.
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