I have a kiddie cabinet in my kitchen; it’s the place I stash all froggy sippys, dinosaur plates, and car cups. It’s also the place until today, I stored all the boy’s bottles.
Every day, when the boys eat lunch, I spend that 15 minutes or so cleaning the kitchen. Some days I sweep, other days I Windex the counter tops, or wash small appliances; some days I clean the refrigerator and wipe down the shelves, other days I better organize the pantry.
Today, I was emptying the dishwasher and stuffing all the plastic parafenillia into the kiddie cabinet when I had the best idea ever: if I get rid of the boy’s bah-bahs, as they call them, there would be so much more room in the kiddie cabinet. I mean, they don’t need them; they don’t even use them.
So, in between coaxing Richen to eat 3 more bites of chicken and begging Latham to stop dropping food on the floor, I packed their bah-bahs into 2 large Zip Lock bags and placed them in the pantry.
I did it without thought. And I did it without ceremony. I just did it.
I was living in my happy little world of oblivion when my husband came home and ripped me back to reality.
David: “Did you put all the boy’s bottles away?”
Me: “Yup.”
David: “That’s kind of weird, don’t you think?”
Me: “Hmmm? What do you mean?”
David: “I mean, it’s weird we may never use the bottles again.”
{PAUSE}
David: “Ever.”
Me: “I didn’t even think of it that way.”
{PAUSE}
Me: “Yeah, it is weird.”
What’s even more weird: during the last several months, I’ve put away a lot of baby stuff: clothes, bibs, socks, and toys. The boys didn’t need them and I put them away.
I put them away without thought. I put them away without ceremony. I just put them away.
I’m not sure if our future hold anymore bah-bahs or babys. But I do know: the next baby items I store, I’ll do it right.
I’ll put them away thought. I’ll put them away with ceremony. And I’ll put them away with the respect that period of time in our lives deserves.
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I have done the same thing when David and Scott were little. We don’t take the time to realize that these milestones have passed, because we are so busy living. I do know when I would tip-toe in at night to check on them, and gaze at their sweet faces, I would think to myself, that I wanted to remember this moment forever. Amazingly, as I check on Reichen and Latham now, I remember David and Scott at those ages and the feelings come flooding back. That is the joy of being a mother and grandmother!!!!!!
i don’t know…maybe there doesn’t need to be a big ceremonial putting away of things. maybe the simple acceptance of life and change and growth is the healthy way to go. moving forward with grace. there’s such beauty in that kind of organic simplicity.
just a thought.
xo
I totally just did the same thing with the baby toys. And we aren’t having any more kids. My last one is growing up so fast. Funny though, she’s 17 months old and still takes a bottle. She would totally do fine on the sippy cup instead but it’s my one last holdout that she might still be a baby.
It is amazing how we take things like that in stride and not think about them. I know I did it when my babies were little and as they grew up. Just didn’t think, “This may be the last time I ever do this, or they do that.” I think about it more now…now that Grandma is close to the end. “Is this the last time I’ll see her?” “Is this the last time I kiss her?” “Is this the last time she will know who I am?”
It is funny you wrote this – since Tucker just turned one the doctor said it is time to say goodbye to bottles – so this week we are are working on that. It is amazing how quickly they grow out of clothes & I can’t believe he isn’t going to need bottles by the end of January! We plan on having more kids (atleast one more) but it still is sad that I know my sweet little Tucker isn’t a baby anymore! I think since you were able to put them away with no ceremony it just means that you are happy with your family and feel complete!