After hearing that I have two small children, women (whose children are now young adults) often say to me that they wish they could go back to the days of babies and toddlers. Even though they were tired and overwhelmed and sometimes forgot very simple things like where on earth the car keys might be, they wish they had taken time to slow down and enjoy their babies more.
On the one hand, I think these women probably had many wonderful and loving moments with their children, but on the other, I wonder if the rosy fog of time has clouded their memories! I don't know of a way to slow down while caring for a baby and a toddler. I truly believe that mothers do the best they can with what they have. Still, I really value this piece of advice and I do try to remember the little moments, the small pauses in our days together-- because these days are not my own. These days truly are our days.
My children and I are sort of a package deal at this point; how could I not know by heart all of the beautifully silly dances Evelyn likes to do and the slobbery raspberries Henry blows with his pink baby lips? I spend my nights next to a sweet baby boy, whose milky exhalations are the very personification of satisfied sleep. My lively daughter took great delight this evening in shrugging her shoulders while we danced to music in the family room. She flapped her arms like wings and exclaimed "look, Mama! I'm a bird! Tweet, tweet!" What else could I do? I joined her in flight.
This is such a sweet and lovely post! :)
ReplyDeleteI have been struggling to find the joy in parenting recently. Thank you for reminding me that some day I will miss this.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how often they know just what we need and also how often that involves a spontaneous dance!
ReplyDelete