Crazy Days ~ Short Years

May 23rd, 2007 by Nina

The beginning of May brought with it anticipation and relief. Although spring weather and green lawns are very exciting, I’m talking about something even more rewarding. The end of my children’s activities…the wind-down if you will.

I remember thinking “one more week and religious ed is done.” The week after that, the ever time consuming carpool nightmare of dance recital week – finished. Although soccer season kicked in again, life was becoming more manageable. But then…. Tee ball and Field Hockey promptly took front and center and now take up several nights of the week and some Saturdays!

In addition to sports, it’s the time of year I refer to as May madness. This is the end of the school year, time to collect money for teachers gifts, study for trimester tests, attend final brownie meetings, attend spring sings at school and turn in the ever important parent input forms to give teachers information they don’t already know about your child. Phew. It’s enough to send any sensible, and even organized mom over the edge. Oh, and make sure summer camp is confirmed – I made that mistake last year!

All the activities and busy work is definitely important. Teachers more than deserve appreciation gifts. The spring sing is all my daughter talks about. And my son’s tee ball days guarantee long dinner conversations all summer long!

Due to their involvement and extreme (no exaggeration) excitement of all said events, I try daily to embrace it all instead of dread it. It’s not always easy sitting through practice after practice, carpooling everyone everywhere or even sitting through four grades of singers even if you only have one child in the school. Sometimes, it is no fun. But I will say this: it is fleeting.

When my children were babies, older, more experienced moms always said things like “enjoy it now”, “just wait till she….” And my favorite: “the days are long but the years are short.” I believe most parents do enjoy and savor their children and their smallness. Naturally, every now and again, we get busy and forget about the shortness of the years.

I was at Einstein’s uptown yesterday with my 5 ½ year old when in came a new mom with a delightful 6 monthish old boy. He quietly sat in his car seat carrier while she put down her 20lb diaper bag, sat down, and began preparing a bottle for him. I remember my own babies’ days like they were yesterday and then turn to watch my son chomping away on a bagel, all by himself, eyes ready to take on the world. How did my baby get to be an independent little man, eating and beginning a life (all be it very attached to mine) all on his own.

As if he knew what I was thinking, he turned to me and said “Mooom, I’ll always be your baby, even when I’m 10.” Before I could even well up, he said “now what time is tee ball tonight – and are you coming to watch?”

“Of course,” I say.

“I wouldn’t miss it.”