I say to myself
I can give more
When my eyes are blurry from sleep still
And they rush around the corner smelling of warm pajamas and bed head
I can give more
When the dishes are already a high tower of dark doom and it’s only 8 AM
I can give more
When how many loads of laundry left?
Four? Okay.
I whisper
I can give more
She spits yoghurt all over me and the floor and then laughs maniacally
I can give more
She kicks hard when I change her
Bruising my arms and chest
I can give more
Sister asks every 60 seconds what should she do now that I’ve said no to the screen
I can give more
Where the hell did those crunched up goldfish crackers come from?
Didn’t I just sweep in here?
I can give more
When all they want to eat are lucky charms and quite honestly I feel the same
I can give more
Little arms wrap around my neck and I am the recipient of wet kisses
Yes, I can give more
Is the water too hot?
I can give more
Is the music too loud?
I can give more
How many more hours?
Minutes?
Seconds?
I can give more
Because when I get home I’ll lay in my quiet bed,
And I’ll look at the videos of them dancing and begging me to watch
I can give more
Because the second I am not next to her I begin to worry
Has she been changed in the last hour?
Is she hungry?
Did she go to bed easy?
Bad dreams?
I can give more
I am the nanny 40 hours a week
My heart is pumping the word “mother” 24/7
I can give more
Because loving a child is worth more then the rest of my life put together
And loving a child is not dependent on whether or not I gave birth myself
It is dependent on these four words
I can give more.
About the Creator
Hadley Frances
Long honey-brown hair and just one dimple.
Loves: pasta, rivers, other people.
Writer by night, or rather by the hours I do not spend at my day job, or hunting for thrifted treasures...
Read on, folks!
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