My Little Bean Sprout

 

Jah was sick, on and off, the past week. It was a first a fever, then a cold. Then the fever disappeared, but a rash took its place. And then, a cough that wouldn’t go away. Almost every night my 15 month old had difficulty sleeping, and he would sleep in our bed, tossing and turning, burrowing his tiny head between my  armpit for warmth, or comfort, I don’t know. I would tuck his little legs between mine, which he liked. But every few hours, when his nose would be too clogged to breathe, he would wake up crying, so that I, too, was delirious from lack of sleep, constantly trying to calm him down. One position he especially liked was sleeping on my belly in a prostate position. It was during one of these delirious states that I realized how big he was. Already, his body is longer than my torso—which is amazing, considering I grew him in my belly from the size of a bean. How long til he’s taller than me? When can I fit, cradled in his armpit, with his chin resting on top of my head instead?