the days of used-to-be
I spent this afternoon revisiting my past.
You see, a baby came to my house today. I watched the 5-month-old daughter and 4-year-old son of a friend of mine this afternoon, which gave me a houseful: my 4-year-old, her 4-year-old, my 2-year-old, and the baby. And as I held the baby in one arm and guided the 2-year-old to the bathroom with the other; bounced the baby on my hip while I wiped the counters; swaddled up the baby and quieted her when she cried; it was like taking a trip back in time--not the distant past, just me of two years ago.
Life with a baby, a 2-year-old, and a 4-year-old (actually, two 4-year-olds today, but the two mellow, sweet-natured 4-year-olds I had today probably equal the same amount of work as the one strong-willed, deviously creative 4-year-old I had back then) is not easy. Even for just two hours this afternoon, there was a near-constant demand for my attention. One or the other of them needed a snack, a toy, a nose wiped or a cry soothed nearly all the time. It wasn't bad; they weren't at all naughty. It was just busy.
And it made me realize just how far my kids have come. Even my littlest can now express her needs in complete sentences, rather than cries that keep you guessing about what she needs. Two-thirds of my children can dress themselves down to the shoes; can handle their own hygiene needs; and can even get themselves a simple snack and a drink of water with no assistance from me. They can entertain themselves. And, what's more, they understand when I tell them "Not right now." or "Please be quiet." They don't always obey when I say those things, but they at least comprehend the words that I'm saying.
It makes me wonder how I coped, when my kids were those ages. How in the world did I manage to get anything done? Maybe it's no wonder that it's only just now that I'm finding time for running, for writing, for keeping up with the housework for a change. It's amazing how fast it's all gone by--and made me thankful for how much easier it's gotten.
Yes, babies are sweet. Babies are cuddly. Babies have adorable smiles and make ridiculous funny little noises. Having this cute little bundle around brought me a tad bit of nostalgia, a little bit of sadness for the sweetness of days gone by.
But at the end of the day, what I felt the most was gratefulness for my present.
You see, a baby came to my house today. I watched the 5-month-old daughter and 4-year-old son of a friend of mine this afternoon, which gave me a houseful: my 4-year-old, her 4-year-old, my 2-year-old, and the baby. And as I held the baby in one arm and guided the 2-year-old to the bathroom with the other; bounced the baby on my hip while I wiped the counters; swaddled up the baby and quieted her when she cried; it was like taking a trip back in time--not the distant past, just me of two years ago.
Life with a baby, a 2-year-old, and a 4-year-old (actually, two 4-year-olds today, but the two mellow, sweet-natured 4-year-olds I had today probably equal the same amount of work as the one strong-willed, deviously creative 4-year-old I had back then) is not easy. Even for just two hours this afternoon, there was a near-constant demand for my attention. One or the other of them needed a snack, a toy, a nose wiped or a cry soothed nearly all the time. It wasn't bad; they weren't at all naughty. It was just busy.
And it made me realize just how far my kids have come. Even my littlest can now express her needs in complete sentences, rather than cries that keep you guessing about what she needs. Two-thirds of my children can dress themselves down to the shoes; can handle their own hygiene needs; and can even get themselves a simple snack and a drink of water with no assistance from me. They can entertain themselves. And, what's more, they understand when I tell them "Not right now." or "Please be quiet." They don't always obey when I say those things, but they at least comprehend the words that I'm saying.
It makes me wonder how I coped, when my kids were those ages. How in the world did I manage to get anything done? Maybe it's no wonder that it's only just now that I'm finding time for running, for writing, for keeping up with the housework for a change. It's amazing how fast it's all gone by--and made me thankful for how much easier it's gotten.
Yes, babies are sweet. Babies are cuddly. Babies have adorable smiles and make ridiculous funny little noises. Having this cute little bundle around brought me a tad bit of nostalgia, a little bit of sadness for the sweetness of days gone by.
But at the end of the day, what I felt the most was gratefulness for my present.
1 comments:
Amen! It was good, but I'm glad I'm growing out of it. I love freedom we are all experiencing.
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