Darling Baby

everything is better with you

Aug 17, 2024

DARLING BABY

by Maira Kalman

A collection of poems and paintings from journals the author kept during the first moments with her granddaughter. This book is a stunning meditation on mindfulness.

“Nothing makes an ordinary day more extraordinary than sharing it with a baby.”

MOTHERHOOD

by Darling Baby

It’s 6:17am and I’m staining my pillows with your milk.

Great.

Cries. Tears. Grunts.

Ripping off the pillowcases. Unzipping you. Changing you. Opening drawers and closing containers.

Walking down stairs with the wet pillowcases

and you.

Coo. Raspberry. Coo.

Grinding coffee.

Plodding down the basement

with my wet pillowcases

and you.

Coo. Raspberry. Coo.

Opening the washer. Breathing in bleach. It’s full.

Opening the dryer. It’s full.

Great.

Pulling out handfuls of socks with one hand.

Shit.

Some are still black on the bottom.

Coo. Raspberry. Coo.

Stuffing them in a bag anyway.

Picking out the lint.

Opening the washer, again.

Pulling out our towels with one hand

one by one with you.

Noticing my back aches. Thinking before you I couldn’t twist myself small enough. Now, big hands and feet.

Switching you to my left hip.

Coo. Raspberries. Coo.

Shoving the towels in the dryer.

Tossing the pillowcases in the wash.

Raspberry. Raspberry.

Now, I’m doing raspberries as I’m

swinging the bag of our socks on my shoulder.

Tightening my core.

Walking back up the basement stairs.

Remembering my shirt is soaked with milk.

Shit.

Coo. Raspberry. Coo.

Smelling the coffee.

You want milk.

Rolling my ankle.

The dishes looking at me.

Opening the cabinet.

You want milk. You want milk.

Grabbing a creamy mug.

Tripping on a mouse in a ballet costume.

You want milk. You want milk. You want milk.

So I’m

collapsing in a chair while you drink.

Forgetting about my coffee. Forgetting about my shirt. Daydreaming.

You tug on my שׁוֹשַׁנָּה.

Ouch. Your nails scratch as you drag them along my chest.

I hold your hand.

Your face comes into focus. Have I even seen you today?

Your brows bounce. Your big, big eyes.

Your father’s lashes.

Your hair. It grew an inch overnight.

It grew. It grew. It grew.

You drink. You drink. You drink.

You smile.

I smile all over.

Everything. Everything. Everything.

Everything is better with you, baby.

SEASIDE PICNIC

by Darling Baby

LOEWE Bucket Bag, Beach Umbrella, Lorna Murray Hat, Beach Blanket, Kinto water bottle, ADINA REYTER Earrings, Desert Vintage Dress

JUILLET JUILLET Swimsuit, Emily Dawn Long A Baby Wanda

Moleskine Notebook, Jellycat Rabbit, Vintage Basket, Konges Slojd Beach Set , Havaianas Flip Flops

DESSERT

by Darling Baby

Cheery Cherry Frozen Yogurt

Chill glasses.

Blend 2 cups Frozen Watermelon, 1 cup Labne, 1 cup pitted Cherries, and 1 cup Whole Milk till smooth. Pour into a container and freeze for at least an hour or overnight.

Serve to your naked baby (this will stain), your mother, all her friends, and yourself in your cheeriest glasses from a now shuttered ice cream parlor in Paris.

1970s vintage ice cream bowls