Five

I tiptoe quietly in the dark
as I did when they slept in cribs – footed jammies, diapered bottoms in the air.
Now they sprawl, arms out or clutching
a doll, a blanket, a book.
In the light, they are my big kids
learning and growing,
astonishing and overwhelming me with insights and observations.
I marvel at them, watch them explore and discover.
But there in the quiet darkness
they are again – and always – my babies.