Other Parents

One of the most surprising things about being a parent is how cool other parents can be. Like when you are at the mall and someone rushes to help you with the door with a smile while saying, "It seems like just yesterday." Or they'll say, "I remember when mine were that little, now they have babies!" It's so sweet really.

One day when I was in Whole Foods, I think I was pregnant with Meadow, and Brady was being your typical two-year-old (adorable and energetic, running away from me while I tried to look like this was my plan all along... so everybody just keep making your salads and stop looking annoyed at my curly haired energy ball). I finally scooped him up as we ordered our 2 slices of pizza.

A guy next to me just looked and smiled and was clearly remembering his son when he shared, "Man those days are the best and they just go so fast." The twinkle in his eye almost made me tear up. I am now as I write this actually. I always ask about other people's kids when they mention them, because who doesn't want to talk about their kids? So I did and he shared that he has two - and his son, the oldest, is about graduate from high school. Clearly an emotional benchmark for him and many parents, I could just see his face light up as he ran through the years with his son and I laughed and said that this is probably a really exciting time for his family right now. He laughed back and joked that it was but his son, being 17, was most interested in his friends and how he missed those days of always having his little buddy. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

I love these stories.

And when I feel like I'm boiling over or embarrassed in Whole Foods, or wherever, and I see that helpful "other parent" or that twinkle in another parent's eye when they share their memories, Trace Atkins starts playing, "You're Gonna Miss This," in the background of my mind. And the words go, "You're gonna miss this, you're gonna want this back, you're gonna wish these days, hadn't gone by so fast, these are some good times, so take a good look around..." A great song.

I love these days and I know for a fact that I will miss them. As crazy as things are right now with a beautiful 12 week-old daughter and my loving 2.5 year-old son, I still love when I reread previous journal entries where I mentioned that these are the best days of my life. It's so exciting to be living them but so sad to know that they are always changing and like all things, change is the only constant. I know someday I'll be the woman sharing the stories about my little buddies and it's hard to wrap my head around that fact.

With love,
Marjorie