Book Review: If I Could Keep You Little

One of the things I’m really mindful of is to not rush any stage of our life.

As in “I can’t wait until they can walk…”

Or “I can’t wait until they are in school full-time…”

Or “I can’t wait until the terrible two’s are over…”

Or “…until they’re driving…”

Or “until the house is quiet again…”

Because even with all the challenges that come along with being a mom, I know I will miss this all.

The messes in their rooms.

The sticky cups left in my bathroom.

The frustration of trying to teach how to convert fractions to decimal points.

The overly long Christmas concerts.

The surprises I find in the couch cushions.

The tear-stained cheeks.

Sometimes, at the end of a long day, that all might push me over the edge. But one day, it will be gone.

They won’t need me as much.

They’ll grow up, and go to college.

Away.

Start their own families.

And it will all be gone.

I almost cannot even bear the thought.

(Although they both have said they plan to live with me forever, and Madeline said I can drive her and her family around.)

So all those little nuances of raising kids? I try to treasure each and every one.

Well, except when one of them is giving me attitude.

That I won’t miss.

I don’t think.

The kids were sitting on the couch with Taylor last night and I looked up and saw Madeline’s bare feet. Her little tan toes. She loves walking around barefoot, and the first thing she does when she comes home is take off her shoes and socks. It drives me crazy. But those toes? They drive me crazy too. I love those little toes.

And as they get bigger, I will miss them.

All of those feelings were definitely in play when Madeline and I read If I Could Keep You Little the other night. Wonderful reminders to cherish the now, whatever the now might be.

The book is well written and has beautiful, sweet, gentle drawings throughout. I found myself adding in a word here and there throughout, words that I thought were missing or sounded better. But even beyond that, we love this book. It’s a perfect addition to your bookshelf, and a gentle reminder … this stage isn’t going to last forever.

Hungry for more children’s book reviews?
A Bad Case of Stripes is another one of our favorites.

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