Song for a Fifth Child

My mother-in-law has the last stanza of this poem croqueted and framed in her bathroom. I found myself thinking of it often, especially the days I swear my house will never look organized or clean again, since it has now been this way at least 7 weeks and it drives me crazy sometimes (especially when I'm "just sitting there" nursing). I just looked up the poem to share with some other new moms who are going through this same thing, and discovered the full version and author. 

As a new mom, one of the hardest things to accept is NO you cannot do it all and it is okay. I'm reminding myself to enjoy these fleeting days with Liam, for parents aren't kidding they really do go so fast. He's already getting longer and more awkward to hold in my arms the same way I used to! :-) 

**********

Song for a Fifth Child 

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth

empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

hang out the washing and butter the bread,

sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking? 

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue

(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew

and out in the yard there a hullabaloo

but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue? 

(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep. 

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep. 

By Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, 1958