Yellow Nursery

Some girls dream
Of the perfect wedding:
The dress,
the favors,
the attendants,
the cake.
Not me.
I really just wanted to look beautiful
And have dancing. 
Lots and lots of dancing.

What, then, were my little girl dreams
made of?
White cradles,
yellow walls,
stuffed animals,
cheery pictures,
crocheted blankets,
sunny corners,
and
well-stocked closets
full of tiny
perfect
precious
things.

I did not know
That - when the time came -
I would rent
a condo
Full to the brim
With the collections
Of just two.

I did not know
That my first baby
Would be such a shock
To the system
That indecision would
Prevent any
Tasteful Choices.

I did not know
That parenting
And pregnancy
Would be so exhausting
For both of us
That my husband's
Top wish as
We wait for baby number two
Would be more time
. . . . . to sleep.

I did not know
That painting a nursery
Would be
The straw that
Might break the camel's back
And that I would come to a place -
This place -
Where I pray that
Little girl dreams
Of a yellow nursery
Don't trump grown up priorities
Like love and common-sense.