A Tough Day in Mommy-Land

Today was a tough day in Mommy-Land. First, I woke my kiddos and got them ready to head out for a new daycare. They darted out of bed, filled with excitement to meet new friends. But even in the excitement, they both asked why they weren’t going to Amy’s anymore. My son was worried about remembering everyone’s name and what would he play with and what if he got scared? My daughter kept asking “Go to Amy’s?” and “Go to Jackie’s?” She couldn’t figure it out.

As we pulled in and got into the house, my son loosened up. Two minutes in the door and he was already at home, playing with toys and things he shouldn’t be playing with – leave it to my son to get in trouble first thing! My daughter was a little quieter, arms clutched around my neck. After 10 minutes or so, she warmed up when she noticed the puppy in the kitchen and a dolly bed in the play room. She hopped down and kissed me goodbye.

That was one time I wanted my baby to cry – either of them. But they were ready for a new adventure.

I cried all the way to work.

A few hours later, it was time to enroll my son in Kindergarten. For the next hour I went from table to table in the obstacle course of the library and sat in 18 inch high chairs with my knees to my chin (those chairs definitely aren’t made for pencil skirts)! I talked with the new principal, the nurse, the secretary, the librarian, the counselor, the PTO president and a few parents. I bought him a t-shirt, books, a lunch ticket and signed up to make cookies for the bake sale and the Christmas bizarre. I made a mental checklist in my mind of the school supplies we bought and what we forgot. I walked away knowing the next time I’d be there was to drop him off on his first day.

Then I cried all the way back to work.

Where has life gone?? I remember enrolling myself in school and going to daycare. All of a sudden, it hit me today how fast things change. Now I’m the mommy doing all of these things and my kids are the ones growing up. Saturday, my son climbed into bed with me when he woke up and asked me all sorts of really grown up questions. Things like “What are our ribs for?” which opened the door for the “how God made man and woman” story. He asked why I had stretch marks on my tummy, which led to “someday you and your wife will have babies and she’ll have scars like this” (at least she’d better or she’ll answer to me!). That led to him asking why my best friend’s tummy never got big when she was having her baby (which they adopted) but I got “fat” when I had him and his sister, which sparked an adoption conversation. He asked why my daughter had red hair even though none of the rest of us do (that was a tough one).

Those moments catch me off guard - like today caught me off guard. Every so often, it hits me like a ton of bricks how fast life goes by. It goes so slowly when you are the kid, but flies by as the parent. My folks always told me that - it's amazing how it takes you being the parent to finally realize it. Before I know it they'll be gone - until then I plan to slow things down and enjoy every moment I can.