It’s been 10 years since I had my first January baby.
Born at the tip-top of the year, these babies live in layers. Folded blankets anticipate unfurling—thick fleece and flannel cotton, knit yarns and waffle-weaved—all are used. Peel the blanket back to find footed sleepers, snapped askew at 3am, correctly at 3pm. At the core lies the long-sleeved white cotton onesie, the base of the winter baby uniform.
Cold air bullies his skin into a mottled pattern of veins and capillaries. He has little fat and sparse hair. Goosebumps don’t rise to flag a sweater down or thermostat up. He is solely reliant on wrappings and well-timed snuggles, efficient and merciful baths and diaper changes, the whim of the wind when we go outside.
Hats never fit quite right. They slip down his forehead to cover his eyes, or they are so small they creep up and off in a woven silent moan. My hand cups his head as I nurse him. I kiss his whorled crown often and with a warm exhale when I must put him down.
The desire to stay home is enormous, but we have to join the brittle parade up and out and back again. School, shops, doctors are places to hurry inside. Lingering is not an option because winter is when illness is the biggest threat. Indoor crowds include coughs and colds with simple conversation.
The winter baby is new when the world seems old. It’s the perfect time of year for a mother to be tired because the elements are tired, too. The sun and I move at the same pace through the day, hesitant at first, perhaps a little muted and muffled by mid-day, retiring early at night.
And each day, we shine a minute more.
Well said… I love the last line… that extra minute each day is what gets us all though the winter don’t ya think?
I love baby heads… so soft
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The urge to snuggle that little head . . . there are few things as wonderful as the smell of new baby head, and the feel of that hair against your cheek.
Inkling’s last blog post..Wrapping it up.
Oh, this is just beautiful, Gretchen. Thank you for writing it.
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Loved this post. My ‘winter baby’ turned two a few weeks ago. I remember those wintry days! It’s the only year our thermostat stayed high all season. 🙂
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Winter babies are exactly that, I love the way they emerge from their buds in the spring in time for sunshiny smiles. Beautiful post!
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When Teyla was born last January — my first winter baby — I marveled at how perfect it felt to stay home and cocoon with her sweetness. What else was there to interest me?
Growing up, I never enjoyed my January birthday. It was too cold, too bitter, too dark. But giving birth in January? It’s the best.
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What a beautiful post! You have a true gift with words. I wish I had a little warm snuggler this January!
Beckie
I just love the way your write! 🙂
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You are so dang eloquent.
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I love that blanket.
I love this post. My winter baby doesn’t wear as many layers in Houston. Weird.
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Oh, lovely, lovely, lovely.
My winter baby was a chunk at 10 pounds, but he still felt fragile and endangered on our drive home from the hospital in a snowstorm….
I’m so glad Archie is doing well.
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Beautiful!
No January babies here, but one November one. I remember.
Poetry.
My babies were both fall babies, so they both had time to chunk up a bit (as if they needed it) before the air grew crisp and cold (not that it gets that cold here anyway) — but they still looked cute bundled up.
I’m not surprised that it takes an enormous amount of effort to will yourself to leave the house, instead of staying all wrapped up and cuddled with little Archie, all newly layered. He is such a beautiful little boy. 🙂
So true! My winter baby is now 8 years old. This baby is due in June, less than 2 weeks after my middle child, who is now 3. I must say, I love having babies in the springtime! Keeping my winter baby warm and healthy was quite a challenge.
Your picture of Archie at the top is so precious!
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Expecting my first winter baby next week- and hoping for an early spring!
And Archie is just a doll- he is just lovely!
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He’s so cute! I never had a winter baby, just a summer baby and spring twins, like little newborn lambs.
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Wow. This was really perfect for me to read today. Thank you.
And you know, I often want to “thank you” for your posts and I don’t, because it makes it sound as though I think you’re writing them for me or something, which you obviously are not. But sometimes you just say what I need to hear, so I hope you understand.
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What a delight to read today! My entire family (before marriage) were January babies. I always thought of it as a danger rather than a warm winter blessing. Your post reflects both, I guess, but now I could see it as less harsh and more wonderful.
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How beautiful. And the baby too.
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No January babies (although I am one), but a November baby up here is pretty much the same thing. I never thought of it in these terms before, but it was such a beautiful thing.
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Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you.
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How utterly precious! I have a February baby; or did, almost 3 years ago now. So, I know that precious winter baby routine. 🙂
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Love this post, I have two winter babies. One born just 8 weeks ago and the other turned 3 last Sunday. Your written word is beautiful and thank you for making me smile and remind me that having a baby in the winter really is glorious.
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