My Mammal

I love the way Gaby feeds in the middle of the night.

She'd cry out suddenly in her sleep. Short, staccato jerky, frantic cries. Her eyes remain closed through the whole event.

When I carry her on my shoulder to the bed, already her mouth is furiously seeking the nipple. Occasionally, her mouth gets a grip of my skin and I hear a "smuack" sound of futile sucking.

With her tiger suit and mittened hands that bring all her fingers together into a paw, she is my epitome of primitive baby cute when she snuggles up to my breast. Eyes still closed, she curls up across my chest with her mouth expectantly opening and closing like a goldfish. She is briefly patient as she waits for me to adjust her body and position her head. Then, she takes in my nipple with a desperately hungry bite while she places her white paw possessively on my mound like it were her prey.

Gaby's tiger suit

Then it is full concentration as she rhythmically suckles. I remind her, "Slow down, darling..." and stroke her baby head.

When she is done, she falls asleep at with my nipple still in her mouth. Otherwise, she would throw her head back firmly, and focus on sleeping. So strong is the resolution to go back to sleep that her head is corked stiffly like a meerkat, a frown of concentration on her brow, and her eyes and lips tightly pursed together.

Oh, my little mammal, I sigh with contentment, even as I am groggy from the broken sleep.