Sunday, October 24, 2010

Stupid Practicality Always Getting In My Way

I love children.  That's no secret.  Babies don't phase me at all.  I can change a diaper, heat a bottle, or patiently soothe a cryer like a pro.  Luckily I have very fertile extended family that has let me get lots of practice.  They very kindly trust me with their babies and I have loved every minute of it and am very grateful for it.  Two Saturdays ago, I got to baby-sit seven of my cousins (ages: 14, 11, 7, 3, 20 mo, 18 mo, and 1 mo) while all their parents attended a wedding.  I did not do this alone, mind you.  My Aunt Deb stopped by for a bit, Joe was there for most of it, and my cousin wisely hired another baby-sitter who was there for most of it so we could have an extra set of hands. 

And other than discovering an 18 month old eating a tube of maximum strength diaper cream (Poison Control said he would be just fine, thank God), everything went swimmingly.  I loved it.  I would do it every day.  I cannot wait to do it every day.  A long time from now. 

There was a moment though, you guys, when I was holding the 1-month old.  He was snuggling against my chest in his teeny feety pajamas and I caught a glimpse of myself  in the mirror and I had to catch my breath.  It looked, I don't know, right?  Like this could be my kid.  I looked old enough to be holding this kid.  It was weird.  Every time before I've caught a glimpse of myself holding a baby, I looked like a baby myself.  Not yet.  Not time yet.  But this time it hit me hard that I'm at the point I could do this. 

Obviously, practicality, wins out.  I graduate law school in May and then a career needs starting and there needs to be a wedding and some money in the bank and, you know, all that life sorting stuff.

But it's close.  One of those crazy life is changing moments.  One I've been looking forward to for a long time. 

3 comments:

chickster said...

Stinky! You're making me feel old. Cut it out.

d&d said...

you forgot to mention the fact that you've already been buying baby clothes for a few years now.

Christina said...

Really, it's only been the last year and I've only done it once and it's only because I work at a children's store part-time and the clothes are really cute and I get a discount and they were all on sale. It's perfectly reasonable.