It Won't Be Like This For Long
by: Darius Rucker
He didn't have to wake up
He'd been up all night
Lying there in bed and listening to his newborn baby cry
He makes a pot of coffee, splashes water on his face
His wife gives him a kiss and says it's gonna to be okay
Something had to be wrong. Why else would his week old baby girl continue to cry all night long? Nathan and Haley had not gotten any sleep the night before. Their daughter Natalie demanded their attention all night long. Both parents had taken turns during the night rocking, feeding, and changing their baby girl. Right now, it was Haley's turn, so Nathan rolled out of bed and walked into the kitchen.
The sun was barely coming up and Nathan was exhausted. He puts the coffee on and splashes cold water onto his face, hoping that it would wake him up. He is staring out the window when Haley comes up beside him and puts her head and his shoulder. That's when he realizes that all is silent in the house. He turns his head to Haley, she looks up and kisses and cheek and whispers
"She finally tired herself out, don't worry, everything will be okay." Nathan nods his head in response, to tired to form words. "One day we can tease her about how she kept her parents up the whole night and get back at her for it." Haley teases as she moves to sit down. "It won't be like this for long."
It won't be like this for long
One day we'll look back laughing at the week we brought her home
This phase is going to fly by
So baby just hold on
It won't be like this for long
Four years later about four thirty
She's crawling in their bed
And when he drops her off at preschool, she's clinging to his leg
The teacher peals her off of him
He says what can I do
She says now don't you worry
This'll only last a week or two
Four years later
Nathan turns and looks at the clock when he feels his daughter crawling in bed with them. 4:30. Natalie is worried about starting school in a few short hours. Nathan pulls the covers over her and settles her between him and Haley. Brushing her hair back until her eyes finally close.
At 8:30 the next morning, Nathan is dropping Natalie off at school, or he is trying too. Natalie is currently clinging to his leg. He looks at the teacher helplessly, silently asking her what he should do; he doesn't want to leave her like this. The teacher, Miss Lauren gently speaks to Natalie and peels her off her father's leg. Miss Lauren speaks softly to Natalie and says to Nathan, "don't worry this will only last a week or two. One of these days she won't even know that you've gone."
It won't be like this for long
One day soon you'll drop her off and she won't even know you're gone
This phase is going to fly by if you can just hold on
It won't be like this for long
As Nathan leaves the school his mind flashes to the future, when Natalie will be a teenager, he thinks of how he was and shudders to think that there will be a time when Natalie could hate him or Haley, the way he hated his parents.
What if Natalie wants to get married like he and Haley did in high school? They can't tell her no, he just hopes he'll get to walk her down the isle and raise her veil.
Nathan shakes his head; those things are a long ways away. He needs to concentrate on now.
Someday soon she'll be a teenager
And at times, he'll think she hates him
And he'll walk her down the isle and raise her veil
But right now she's up and crying
And the truth is that he don't mind
As he kisses her goodnight and she says her prayers
As of now, Natalie woke up crying and Nathan and Haley are trying to get her back to sleep, after a sip of water, a book, and prayers, they kiss her goodnight and Nathan lays down next to her. She is beautiful just like her mother and he cherishes every minutes that they have together.
He lays down there beside her till her eyes are finally closed
And just watching her it breaks his heart 'cause he already knows
It won't be like this for long
One day soon that little girl is gonna be
All grown up and gone
And this phase is gonna fly by
So he's trying to hold on
Cause it won't be like this for long
It won't be like this for long