dear bits and jack,

mama sure has been loving our time spent in your little fireside salon…

never tire of it…

of your asking “please” to do my hairs…

of your scooting right off to gather all of your “tools”…

of your styling…and snapshots…and starting all over…

of your little fingers running and running right through my hairs…

and i’m just altogether content to just sit there…and sit there…for as long as you’ll take…

‘till my back is all achy…and my legs are both sleeping…and my head is numb some…

for just as long as you’ll stay…

and as i’ve sat there…i’ve thought…

about how much i’ll miss this…come spring…when the fireplace goes cold for a season and your little fingers stop running…

and…

about how very much i’ll miss all of this…come just a too-short time from now…when my whole season of little fingers is through…

but…then…

the thought…

how…then…

maybe…your little people’s little fingers!

and…

oh, how wonderful that thought!

oh, how…just too wonderful…that would be!

then…

but for now…i’m utterly altogether content to sit…just right here…for just as long as you’ll stay…

very sincerely,
me (your relishing-every-pass-through-my-hairs-with-your-little-fingers mama)

– jack’s image from the salon (the kids’ camera – december 11, 2012)…and one of my very favorites…the little fingers of those first two littles (summer, 1997)