Motherhood Series
Vol 15.
Rose Smith

Rose is a New York based model and mother of two young boys. From her apartment, she muses on the playfulness of bathing as a time to share stories and tend to any bumps or scrapes from the day. As well as the anchoring practices that return her to presence, allowing space to fully absorb these fleeting moments alongside growing humans.

"I bathe at the end of the day, with two little boys in a bubble bath, washing away dirt from knees and kissing new boo boos from the day.

We pour in the bubble bath, choose pajamas as the tub fills and turn the lights down.

Sometimes it’s a time for the boys to have a moment with their father, and I’ll listen nearby to their sweetest conversations as they talk about their day. Other times it’s a moment for me to have a little extra closeness, rest and calm with them."

"Before children, bathing felt much more solitary and restorative. I would often take a bubble bath and have a lots of time to myself.

With two small boys, bath time now feels more communal, rhythmic and routine. There’s always someone beside me going through my makeup, trying to climb into the shower with me, or waiting just outside the door. It's not a season for much alone time right now, but I love it."

"I cherish the closeness of bathing. The joy found in splashing and making bubble beards. Their wet curls and faces with their hair brushed back, suddenly making them look older and different. My eldest talking endlessly in the bath while the baby watches him. Appreciating the fleetingness of these seasons helps me pay closer attention to moments I might otherwise rush through."