We are outside sending Daddy and Lucas off to school. Lola waves with her whole hand and whispers “bye-bye” over and over and my heart almost explodes from the cuteness.
My favorite part of my daughter, next to her joy filled smile, sparkling eyes and mostly cheerful disposition are her hands.
Tiny and soft they are in constant movement.
I love to watch each finger.
Always curious and busy feeling fabrics, pressing buttons, turning pages of board books and pointing to the pictures inside, searching for tags and picking up minuscule pieces of lint as she crawls up the stairs.
Unless we catch her, she puts everything in her mouth.
Lola shows her love and appreciation by doling out “pat-pats”. It’s the sweetest gesture.
Someday these hands will hold mine as we cross the street. Her small fingers will fit neatly inside mine.
Someday her hands will reach for her brother in a time of need.
Lola’s hands will grow and change and they have so much life ahead of them.
With her hands, she’ll pick flowers from our neighbor’s garden,
Grasp a crayon to color in and outside of the lines,
Tie the laces on her sneakers,
Hold the handlebars of her bicycle and pretend she’s flying.
Carefully she’ll use her hands to wrap boxes to put under the Christmas tree,
Braid her best friend’s hair,
Create melancholy music on a cello or piano,
Support her weight in a handstand,
Furiously type an email or best-seller,
With her hands, she will apply lipstick, sunscreen, shave her legs and pick at scabs she knows are better off left alone.
She will whisk eggs for a cake and lick icing off her finger,
Grip the steering wheel of her first car in anticipation of getting on the freeway,
Wipe away tears and hold her face in her palms.
I hope she has a good strong handshake and keeps her nails well manicured.
On her left hand I hope she’ll wear a wedding ring.
And more than anything, I hope her hands one day carry a child of her own.
A longer version of this post appeared on Mamalode, May 1, 2015.
Elaine A. says
So lovely. She is just precious. I was hoping that is what you were going to say at the end. 🙂
Tonya says
How could it not?
Katie says
I love this. I think about and notice hands all the time. I like to watch both of my boys’ hands as they figure things out and build things. I can remember the first time I watched each boy “discover” his hands. So wonderful. This is beautiful, Tonya.
Tonya says
Thank you.
I have always had a fascination with hands too. But Lola’s are different… I could eat them up!
I can’t wait for you to have another baby.
angela says
This is really lovely, Tonya! Seeing their littleness and then glimpsing the future in the same moment is one of the most heart-filling parts of days with these amazing little people.
Tonya says
So true. Those tiny, delicate hands are going to do more than I ever dreamed of or shared here. I can’t wait to witness it all!
Alison says
Ooh, hands. They do me in, you know, they really do. I look at my children’s hands all the time. Just this morning, the twins grasped my fingers in their teeny hands, his fatter and bigger, her hands tiny and delicate. This is so beautiful, Tonya.
Tonya says
Thank you!
Oh, that is just the best, when the grab your fingers, your hands in theirs. I love it too!!
Leah Adams says
She is freakin adorable! I love her hands too! XOXO I can’t wait to hold her again!
Tonya says
She’s amazing!
Sophie says
Beautiful words! I love hands too, especially baby hands ❤️ Lola is such a cutie pie! xoxo
Andrea says
Love this. I love thinking about the potential that our children’s hands possess. Beautiful post.