There was something I read a while back – when dd was a baby – probably some syrupy “parenting” blog but of all the things I read when he was a baby, this one stuck with me. I can’t find where it is now so I’ll just have to paraphrase.
Time does indeed fly and you have to make the best out of whatever “phase” they’re going through. And when they’re little and completely dependent on you, remember that there will be a last time for lots of things. Some of them like nappy changes, cleaning a toilet training poo-storm, you’ll be glad of.
But some of the other things – a bottle feed, buttoning up a babygrow before bedtime, a certain book they love, the need to fall asleep on your belly listening to your heartbeat and loads more that only you’ll know about – there’ll be a last time each of these things happen, and you won’t even realise it’s the last time until it hasn’t happened for weeks. Make the most of all the special things, you’ll never realise when many of them have happened for the last time. One day they’ll fall over and not cry or look to you to help them out and give that reassuring cuddle – and when they do, you’ve done your job but you’ll miss it when you realise you’re just a little less needed.
I love watching my lad grow older and a little bit more independent as the months pass, but I still miss some of the times when he needed me more than he does now – so when he does need me, and I’m thinking “I’m in the middle of something, can’t you sort yourself out?” I try to remember the above.
Right, now, that’s about as soppy as I’m going to get this year. 🙂
