I hear it all the time. I even catch myself saying it to new parents…”Enjoy them while they’re young because the grow up so fast”. After hearing it and saying it so much, it began to lose it’s meaning. But last week I was reminded of how precious this time really is.
We took The Rascals to go see Toy Story 3. It was a particularly tough day as Froggy has been in a biting frenzy and Spanky was extra annoyed with everyone. But we made it to the theater all in one piece…only to wait in a line for the movie. Oh great! Let’s see what whining, biting, dropping of food mess these boys will get into while we wait.
So I stood there, trying to eat my hot dog while dodging Froggy who was trying to grab the dog and was now screaming in frustration. Spanky was with dad eating the only wheat-free, semi nutritious thing they had in the menu, bon-bons, which were melting in his hands because he insisted on holding one in each hand. Alfalfa wasn’t much drama except for his uncanny ability to spill or drop food…which he did…on his lap.
So as I sat there trying to compose myself so as not to get heartburn from the hot dog I just wolfed down, I see a mom and her 3 teenage boys sitting across the way from me. She looked relaxed as she chatted on her cell. She wasn’t worrying about nap times, snack times, or chocolate oozing from thier hands and onto their shoes. She just sat and chatted.
The boys were just as calm. No shoving, biting, or throwing of toys at heads. They just sat, and whispered to eachother and….wait….did he just….yes he did! He just checked out that girl! Oh, no! So did the brothers!
And they did it again.
And again.
And again.
Then I realized that one day those boys would be my boys! My cute, cuddly boys who give me kisses and sing to me Twinkle, Twinkle and whose eyes light up when I give them ice cream and tell me “thank you mama!” when they’re all done.
One day I won’t be their number one girl.
Suddenly all the frustrations and annoyances from earlier that day just melted away. They may be loud, and whiny and difficult, but it’s only for a little bit so I better enjoy them while they’re young.
They may be rascally, but they're all mine.
