Spin Cycle: A poem. (You were expecting one, I know.)

While cleaning out my dresser, I came upon Sprite's baby book,

It was late, I was tired, but I thought I'd have a look.

After all, she's turning three, those days seem far away,

What a lark it would be to compare her beginnings with today.

But my grin turned sour quickly, my anticipation shrank,

When only a few flips in I saw the pages were mostly blank.

A few milestones made it in, her first smile, a roll, a coo,

But the rest sat silent, almost mocking, they should be recorded too.

I felt a bit of failure, mostly for what I had left out,

Sprite will never truly know what her first year was about.

Or will she?

Does she really need to know which fruit she liked and which she spat?

Or when she first walked or talked or stood or crawled or sat?

Will it come up in her lifetime on a resume or test,

That during Baby's First Christmas, she liked her Grover doll the best?

I don't need this book to tell me that our love for her ran deep,

For it took a moment to steal our hearts, and they're still hers to keep.

But what was she that first year but a line of milestones?

No Spriteful personality with her subtle undertones.

All her giggles, sayings, rhymes, and wild little rages,

Can't be captured in the realms of a baby book's slim pages.

The baby book, while good in intent, is really a form letter,

So when she asks to see it, as all kids do, I'll give her something better.

I'll point her to this site of mine, these stories important to me,

And open a door to her past, her very own history.

And now as she embraces "3", leaving behind her two's,

I'm sure this year will bring about an even better muse.

So happy birthday, my dear Sprite, may all your wishes come true,

And remember that your Daddy and I want the best for you.

Keep being you, keep dreaming big, keep running your own race,

I'll be right here, writing it all, trying to match your pace.

Don't worry about your baby book, it doesn't hold what's dear,

The answers to the way you were, the good stuff is right here.

We love you, kid.

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Ah, Free Spin! Consider this the variety pack of the Spin Cycle!

Jan over at Jan's Sushi Bar

Becca over at The Katz Cradle

Mama Badger over at Out of the Boondocks and Into the Burbs...

Ellie Belen over at Distracting Minutia 

D.M. Wright over at D.M. Wright Books 

Camille over at Archives of Our Lives 

Stacy over at Stacy's Random Thoughts 

lisleman over at A Few Clowns Short... 

The South Dakota Cowgirl over at The South Dakota Cowgirl 

Maureen over at IslandRoar -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

Michele over at It's A Dog's Life -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

Ginny Marie over at Lemon Drop Pie -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

Middle Aged Woman over at Unmitigated -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

Andrea over at Gathering Dust -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

Mary Anne over at Miss Mary Anne Sunshine -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

Wicked Step Mom over at Life and Times of a Wicked Step Mom -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

Pseudo over at Pseudonymous High School Teacher -Updated today! Fresh Spin!

************************************************

Next Week's Spin: Heroes/ Bravery

This Wednesday being Veteran's Day, well, it got me thinking. We all know someone who's considered a hero to us. Or maybe we're thought of as a hero to others.

Have you ever seen someone do something heroic or brave? Honor them! Have you stepped up in a time of need to help someone else? Tell us!

What does bravery mean to you? What makes someone a hero?

Spin it up and link it here by Friday, November 20th!

See you next week on the Spin Cycle!

Oh, yeah! I promised you a cupcake, didn't I?

Yum!
 

Comments

[Rachel]

And you were worried. Perfect!

[Jan]

Oh, your poem choked me up a little. What a wonderful tribute to your daughter!

[Michele]

Awwwww...that is so sweet. Blogs are a wonderful visual way to write her baby book.

I've done what I'm calling a spin. http://michele-dogslife.blogspot.com/2009/11/where-i-bore-you-with-historical-stuff.html

[Maureen@IslandRoar]

You're right; your thoughts, reflections, and stories in this space about your daughter are better than any baby book.
Here's my Spin:
http://www.islandroar.com/2009/11/turning-3.html

[WickedStepMom]

http://lifeandtimesofawickedstepmom.com/2009/11/13/sick/

[Ginny Marie]

A wonderful poem for someone who's three! I love it. (And it makes me feel better about the girls' baby books, too!)

Here's my Spin!

http://lemondroppie.blogspot.com/2009/11/rise-in-road.html

[middle-aged-woman]

I am using the Spin this week to highlight my psychosis. So there will be evidence later.

http://unmitigated.typepad.com/unmitigated/2009/11/cleanest-inbox-in-town.html

[Libby]

Meg's baby book has almost nothing in it. I keep meaning to do it, but I would rather spend time with her.

http://libbylogic.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-new-hero.html

[andrea]

love the poem! i teared up cause i'm a sap.

my free spin is up!!
http://gathering--dust.blogspot.com/2009/11/spin-cycle-free-spin-if-i-knew-then.html

[Mary Anne]

Great poem! The Girl's baby book isn't quite up to Sprite's, I'm afraid...

Here's my spin - http://missmaryannesunshine.blogspot.com/2009/11/25-years-of-orange-and-blue.html

[Heather]

Such a beautiful poem and so well written.

The one time I decided to try my hand at a poem, I run across three others. LOL, I love irony!

At least you started a baby book, My parents never did and I have asked my dad those questions.

Good for you, this site IS her baby book!

[Pseudo]

A beautiful poem for Sprite.

I was horrible about keeping up the baby books. But I did take a lot of photos.

[HeatherPride]

I can't believe she's THREE!!!! It seems like I was JUST reading your post about her second birthday party! Good grief. Happy birthday, Sprite! What a sweetie.

[Baba]

Don't forget the letters you wrote her put them in her baby book. I just keep your records of your medical history in yours...shots and things. When the day comes for her to ask these questions yes Jen you do have this blog!!!!!!

[mrsbear]

That's so sweet. I'm full of awwww. ;) I'm terrible at keeping baby books and recording milestones, heck, all my photos are in boxes. Writing it all down as narrative is so much better than taking notes of dates and achievements. It's those little captured moments we treasure the most.

[Mama Badger]

sniff. I'm glad we're getting to watch sprite grow up. If she thinks her younger years were neglected, you just point her to any of us who have been following her antics!

I didn't even try a baby book. I have a box I keep the important stuff in, and then marked "firsts" on the regular calendar and stuck that in the box at the end of the year.

[D.M. Wright]

Such a great poem!!! That little Sprite is a lucky little girl to have you!! Oh, tears... I can't believe she is 3 already!!

[jenni]

happy third, sprite!

[Erin@TheLocals Love It]

So sweet. Happy Birthday Sprite!

[Kate]

Great idea, I did take a spin myself...
http://www.spriteskeeper.com/my_weblog/

[Kate]

Ooops I meant here:
http://www.recommendeddailydose.com/?p=3709&preview=true&preview_id=3709&preview_nonce=2113916f36

[Kate]

Oops...I meant here:
http://www.recommendeddailydose.com/?p=3709

[Casey]

And what a great poem it was! Happy Birthday, Sprite!

Now I have baby book guilt since both of my kids have half filled out books. Off to check them out.

And here's my spin, under the wire: http://halfasgoodasyou.com/?p=5749

[Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)]

Awwww! That was beautiful!

Happy Happy Birthday to beautiful little Sprite! :)

[Amy]

Happy Birthday Sprite!