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.
