When I first had my eldest, every fellow parent around me, be it my mum, the woman down the road or a friend that already had a toddler, would tell me to make the most of the baby days and to cherish every moment because it goes so fast.
I used to hate being told this, firstly I knew how quickly time went, or did I? And secondly, it was hard to cherish the moments where sleep was missed and baby just screamed whilst being held for hours due to colic. How could I cherish these moments? I felt like a zombie. I missed the old me. I missed my body and sleep. Of course I loved this tiny human I’d created, but there were moments I couldn’t cherish because it was too hard.
But then that length of time I thought I knew, suddenly wasn’t so long. It was quicker. Quicker than ever thought of. And they grew up. Some things got easier and some things got harder. I don’t think parenting is ever really easy, we swap sleepless nights for waking up and the boys fighting each other and throwing toast at each other all before 7:30 am. We swap colic for answering back and feeling like a rotten parent when we send them to their room or time out.
But it went quickly. And now I sort of wish I had cherished even the hard moments, I did to some degree but I also couldn’t wait for them to get through certain phases. And parenting and childhood is made up of a series of phases. Some harder than others. Some longer than others. But nethertheless, most things are a phase and like the rest of life, these pass. So although I held on and cherished moments to some degree, perhaps I didn’t do it enough.
As lately, I have felt the effects of time. There were two things that got me thinking about it all;
The first, being my nephew. So he’s two months or so old now. And my goodness is he tiny. And he cries and he vomited all down my cardigan sleeve the other day. And he hates getting changed. And he keeps my sister and brother in law up at night. I’m sure they feel like the zombies now. But I looked at him the other day, laying in MY children’s arms. My eldest scoops him, and holds him so tightly and lovingly and I look and realise-
That was him once. 5 and a half years ago that was him. I was the one top and tailing and getting the milk ready.
Almost 6 years have flown by, quicker than ever imagined and suddenly I ponder if I did enough cherishing.
The second thing that has got me thinking was the change in what my boys enjoy. It started with evenings watching 'In The Night Garden', now we are allowing them to stay up late and watch the Ghostbusters movie on a Saturday night. Recently we decorated their bedrooms and I took down the Lightning McQueen cars wall stickers, I painted the room with a fresh coat of paint and I then placed up 2 new wall stickers. Each one matches their individual likes; my eldest has a Pokemon one and my youngest has a dinosaur one.
How many different things have they been into over the years? Over the space of just 6 short years. We've been Bing mad, Twirlywoos were fantastic, Happyland had its land in my home and now there is a dinosaur land. Soft playful toys were switched with racing cars and tracks.
I go shopping and look at cute tiny outfits, or annoyingly they have now brought out a fantastic range of Bing outfits. I eye up the little toys and I realise, my children have outgrown it all. Already. Just like that.
Barney the friendly dinosaur is out. Jurassic World is in.
Move over Toybox toys, Pokemon we choose you.
I wish that time didn't go so fast. My almost 6 year old does not cuddle or kiss me anymore, or very rarely if he does. I hate it. I ask for a cuddle all of the time and he just refuses. He hates kissing and cuddling good bye or good night. I have to cherish the cuddles I get when he's in a the right mood. I wish I could still buy the new range of Bing toys. I wish I wasn't buying clothing that is so big now. But I am.
On the other hand, I quite like having the Pokemon movie on rather than In The Night Garden. And I love the Jurassic Park movies so that is definitely a welcome arrival. I also get to have conversations with them more now and they can be so hilarious. I can also ask for help, and there is a 50/50 chance that they actually do what I ask. I can now say "Night night" and turn the lights out rather than rocking and soothing a baby. I am watching my children grow and it is exciting, I just wish it wouldn't happen quite so quickly as each phase of their life seems to flash so quickly before my eyes, just as I was getting used to it and enjoying it.
So, that annoying voice that tells you when you first bring the baby home; "Cherish every moment because they grow up quickly"
They really do. And it sucks.
How have you found time since you had children? Does it fly for you too? Or are you in those baby days with sleepless nights that seem never ending?
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I used to hate being told this, firstly I knew how quickly time went, or did I? And secondly, it was hard to cherish the moments where sleep was missed and baby just screamed whilst being held for hours due to colic. How could I cherish these moments? I felt like a zombie. I missed the old me. I missed my body and sleep. Of course I loved this tiny human I’d created, but there were moments I couldn’t cherish because it was too hard.
But then that length of time I thought I knew, suddenly wasn’t so long. It was quicker. Quicker than ever thought of. And they grew up. Some things got easier and some things got harder. I don’t think parenting is ever really easy, we swap sleepless nights for waking up and the boys fighting each other and throwing toast at each other all before 7:30 am. We swap colic for answering back and feeling like a rotten parent when we send them to their room or time out.
But it went quickly. And now I sort of wish I had cherished even the hard moments, I did to some degree but I also couldn’t wait for them to get through certain phases. And parenting and childhood is made up of a series of phases. Some harder than others. Some longer than others. But nethertheless, most things are a phase and like the rest of life, these pass. So although I held on and cherished moments to some degree, perhaps I didn’t do it enough.
As lately, I have felt the effects of time. There were two things that got me thinking about it all;
The first, being my nephew. So he’s two months or so old now. And my goodness is he tiny. And he cries and he vomited all down my cardigan sleeve the other day. And he hates getting changed. And he keeps my sister and brother in law up at night. I’m sure they feel like the zombies now. But I looked at him the other day, laying in MY children’s arms. My eldest scoops him, and holds him so tightly and lovingly and I look and realise-
That was him once. 5 and a half years ago that was him. I was the one top and tailing and getting the milk ready.
Almost 6 years have flown by, quicker than ever imagined and suddenly I ponder if I did enough cherishing.
The second thing that has got me thinking was the change in what my boys enjoy. It started with evenings watching 'In The Night Garden', now we are allowing them to stay up late and watch the Ghostbusters movie on a Saturday night. Recently we decorated their bedrooms and I took down the Lightning McQueen cars wall stickers, I painted the room with a fresh coat of paint and I then placed up 2 new wall stickers. Each one matches their individual likes; my eldest has a Pokemon one and my youngest has a dinosaur one.
How many different things have they been into over the years? Over the space of just 6 short years. We've been Bing mad, Twirlywoos were fantastic, Happyland had its land in my home and now there is a dinosaur land. Soft playful toys were switched with racing cars and tracks.
I go shopping and look at cute tiny outfits, or annoyingly they have now brought out a fantastic range of Bing outfits. I eye up the little toys and I realise, my children have outgrown it all. Already. Just like that.
Barney the friendly dinosaur is out. Jurassic World is in.
Move over Toybox toys, Pokemon we choose you.
I wish that time didn't go so fast. My almost 6 year old does not cuddle or kiss me anymore, or very rarely if he does. I hate it. I ask for a cuddle all of the time and he just refuses. He hates kissing and cuddling good bye or good night. I have to cherish the cuddles I get when he's in a the right mood. I wish I could still buy the new range of Bing toys. I wish I wasn't buying clothing that is so big now. But I am.
On the other hand, I quite like having the Pokemon movie on rather than In The Night Garden. And I love the Jurassic Park movies so that is definitely a welcome arrival. I also get to have conversations with them more now and they can be so hilarious. I can also ask for help, and there is a 50/50 chance that they actually do what I ask. I can now say "Night night" and turn the lights out rather than rocking and soothing a baby. I am watching my children grow and it is exciting, I just wish it wouldn't happen quite so quickly as each phase of their life seems to flash so quickly before my eyes, just as I was getting used to it and enjoying it.
So, that annoying voice that tells you when you first bring the baby home; "Cherish every moment because they grow up quickly"
They really do. And it sucks.
How have you found time since you had children? Does it fly for you too? Or are you in those baby days with sleepless nights that seem never ending?
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