Time to be vulnerable...grab a tissue!

You've already heard it a thousand times.  "Enjoy that sweet baby because they grow up so fast."  And let's be honest...you likely smile or nod and then silently gag.  You may be tired of hearing it because your days are long.  Very long.  You've likely already had a pot of coffee, watched seventeen episodes of Daniel Tiger, endured 3 meltdowns about what's being offered for breakfast, and it's only 6 am.  I get it.  I was there.  The adage that the days are long but the years are short definitely applies here.

So you have this sweet baby and at first, you're in a fog.  What in the world am I going to do with this child?  What have I gotten myself into?  What have I gotten him/her into?  How will I know what he or she needs?  In order to answer this question, you pour over blogs, magazine articles, social media, and books.  You come to classes like ECFE to connect with other parents that help guide you and resource-sharing teachers that cuddle your baby so you can gulp down your cold cup of coffee.  You watch videos and you start to feel confident.  "I've got this!  We're in a nice routine now!"

Then that little one steps foot on the kindergarten school bus and you wonder how five years have already passed.  You dry your tears, call your friends, and connect on how hard it is to begin the process of letting go.  Even though you secretly like to go to the grocery store alone, you still have a nagging knot in your stomach that your baby is growing up.  That's when the days begin to blend into years and the years go by far more quickly than you're ready for.  Soon enough you're helping them through middle school and you realize why you didn't like middle school the first time around.  They may have challenges with friends, school work gets harder, and each day they remind you that all they want is to be independent (and for you not to embarrass them in front of their friends).

And just like that,  you're watching them register for high school, try out for team sports, develop a new skill like debate (like they really need to "develop" it...they've been debating since they could speak), and bloom into this young adult that you didn't know existed.  You don't really embarrass them as much anymore and you start to get hugs from someone that's suddenly taller than you.  When did THAT happen?  You tease them about how you changed their diaper, longing for the days when a dirty diaper was their biggest problem.  It starts to sink in that you cannot stop time, though you wish you could, and you become proud of the work that you and your village have done to pour into the life of this young person.  And you're proud of them, too.  Because they are amazing.  They are a gift.  Your baby. 

Now this crazy blogger lady is misty-eyed because in just a few short months, her baby will graduate from high school.  She doesn't know where the time has gone.  Some days she wishes she could stop it, but most days she's excited to see where this young man will go.  The inventor of the word "bittersweet" was most certainly a mom watching her child grow and change and spread their wings to fly.

So hold that child of yours tightly.  Smell them while they still have that baby smell.  Never regret setting aside your dirty toilet for a conversation with your kiddo.  And smile with pride every step of the way, because each moment as their parent is a gift...even the hard moments.  If you are a young parent, hold on tightly for the very best ride of your life!

Crazy blogger lady's boy:

18 months

17 years