our buddy luke

my belly was getting bigger every day & hers was no longer.  we were preggos at the same time yet she was ahead by 4 months & her son was here.  i lingered around her kitchen sink & watched my friend mother a nearly 2 year old & a newborn.  baby lotion & baby shampoo set on the counter with soft brown towel that had a sweet puppy dog on the corner.  she ran the water & raced after the toddler as i held her baby on top of my big pregnant belly.
from the other room she said this::
ginny, will you give luke a bath

i wish she would've been in the same room to see my face.
and in my head to hear the freak-out rant that i wanted to say::
ummm, no.  i will not give this newborn baby a bath in your sink.  i am holding him, is that not good enough for you?  just because someone is pregnant does not mean they know how to give a baby a both.  i may have a baby in my belly, but it's my first one & i have never bathed a baby before, am i already supposed to know how to do this? who do you think i am some kind of bathing baby whisperer?


i think what actually came out of my mouth was something like::
well, i just, i don't think, i've never...i do not know how to bathe a baby.


a few weeks ago, that little baby turned 6.  i paused before i typed that number, because it's hard to remember & that is where much sadness lies...in the hard-to-remember.  luke is 4 months to the day older than eliot would be.  the "is" & the "would be".
i was pregnant with eliot when luke was born & luke's was the first diaper i have memory of changing.  i helped heather that night at her sink & learned how to bathe a baby, so that when eliot arrived & i finally had the chance, i knew how:)  luke was eliot's little buddy & no matter how big he will grow to be, i will always picture his baby round cheeks & sweet face next to eliot's tiny frame.  he will always have such a special place in our hearts.  it's really a gift to watch him grow.

happy birthday luke.

luke looking in at eliot through the nicu window (july 2006)

luke playing sweet with baby hazel (spring 2009º

6 year old luke