Month: July 2022

I cried today on a work call. They were tears of gratitude for my colleagues who encouraged me to enjoy a day at the zoo with my kids while they managed our clients’ needs.

I let the guilt of missing meetings and the FOMO from watching our slack channels ping subside. I gave my phone to my kids to document the day. I took a deep breath and found myself in rare “mom flow.” I was present, playful, and patient.

Joe commented it was one of his favorite days observing me as a mother. My kids felt it too. There was minimal fighting or complaining as we walked miles in the hot sun. We laughed – a lot.

All of this to say, work is personal. Very personal. It’s important to have people on your team who get that. And maybe even cry with you when you thank them for having your back and gifting you a day with your kids filled with core memories.

Every time my kids hit a new phase of development, I find myself saying, “Oh, this one is my favorite. I want to stay here.” Then comes the inevitable next one, and it too is my favorite phase. 

Each phase has brought something new into our lives. From newborn cuddles and baby belly laughs to the firsts and testing independence. We are now solidly in the preteen phase. Also, my new favorite. 

I’ve learned some things will start, some will evolve and some will stop. It used to take what felt like hours to get them to sleep. We’d bathe, snuggle and rock them while singing Twinkle Twinkle and Good Ship Lollipop over and over again. I don’t ever want to forget how their little voices would plead, “One more, Mommy. Just one more.” Back then though, “one more” felt like being told by your track coach that you still had four more laps to go when you thought practice was over. 

Now, my hours-long lullaby concert has evolved to the occasional request for 1 or 2 songs when they are in the mood. When they ask, it makes my heart sing. One day, they’ll stop asking entirely. Maybe some of my lullabies will make it into my grandkids’ nurseries. 

Each phase hasn’t been perfect. They’ve taught us varying degrees of survival skills, perhaps to prepare us for the next phase – the teen years. I get a lot of “just you wait” about this upcoming phase and I know it won’t be easy. None of the phases have been. 

But, historical data points to the next phase being my favorite.