Time

Today I had a training at work, which me and my co-workers lead. Participating in our training were the parents of a preemie, who though she was born 2 months ago, was merely 2 weeks from mom's due date. She was tiny at 6lbs, and simply precious.
I held her, fed her a bottle, and rocked her so her parents could pay attention to what we were teaching. Her head was cradled in the nook of my neck for at least 20 minutes. It was glorious and sweet and such a walk down memory lane. I did the mom sway, and shushed her crying like I did with Aidan. Of course I never held Aidan when he was 6lbs, in all honesty. He was still inside me when he was that little.

Oh I remember that time when he was tiny and fit on my shoulder like that. I relished in it, I loved being a mother but it was also an angsty time. It was a time of feeling unsure I was doing a good job, for he was fussy and irritable baby because he had not yet been placed on medications for reflux. In all honesty I remember the time being a blur of moments strung together when I worried about making him happy and trying to figure out what he wanted. Of worrying what I was going to do with him, all the while relishing in his little life.

Today I heard that sweet little one cry that distinct newborn cry, and I just melted with the sweetness of the sound. Oh such memories.

Today at Target I heard that newborn cry two times. Two weary mothers were trying to get their Target run done, and their little one was starting to fuss. I saw a woman who looked tired-placing her newborn on her shoulder as she shrieked. She did not look too happy. I smiled to myself, a little bit wistful. I wanted to run to her, to take her little one off her shoulder and have that newborn in my arms again, all the while telling her to cherish these moments because they are a blur of a memory that passes so quickly that you can miss it. I could read on her face that she was struggling. I remember that feeling.

Flash forward to now. Crying babies make me wistful, then I pick up Aidan from preschool as his teacher informs me what a pill he has been the past few weeks. Seems the 5 year old boys get a little big for their britches about now, bored with preschool and wanting to go to kindergarten. They become sassy mouthed, boundary-less little hellions, who though she told me is typical, is really frustrating to deal with. Aidan's partner in crime, another Aiden was in the directors office when I came in, because he was taking potty talk incessantly. This was his punishment from a weary teacher.
Fussy infant, wanting their way.
Sassy preschooler, wanting to grow up.
Worried mother, who wants to make sure the next 5 years are the best for my little man, wherever we are living.
Oh how similar we all are, you know?