Monday, January 19, 2009

The Icing on the Cake

M and I took some special time together this weekend at Legoland. See, we all have passes to Legoland courtesy of B's grandmother, but it's not quite as fun for K, who is still too short to ride most of the rides. Which means we spend a lot of time watching M and listening to repeated me/mine commentary, as if we just weren't thinking and had forgotten all about putting her on the ride too. I'm glad to know the kids already doubt my competency that much.

We had a fantastic time, a very liberating time, a time when we could run and play and feel a little bit more free without that diaper bag and stroller and pesky younger sister. And I got to give him all that special attention that he doesn't remember having once before, but oh, how do I remember. He and I will always have a special bond, because I found motherhood a little bit like being pushed out on a tightrope in complete fireman gear. You think you will never make--this cannot be possible to manage--but you manage it anyway, because it's do or die. And we did, M and I together, from those first days in the hospital to the return to graduate school, through nursing woes and nursing wins, solid foods and sitting up and sleep training. It was us against that tightrope. He and I made it, together, because he was figuring it out, too, how to be in this new world, just the same as me.

Saturday was such a blissful reward for us. Not just because it was the first long chunk of time we'd spent alone since K's birth, but also because it seemed to mark all the successes we'd made. We were running together, riding big kid rides, sharing lunch and conversation like two old friends. Which we are, of course. I couldn't have made it without him. I have made it, in large part, because of him.

And still, every day, he's teaching me something new. Like when you want to get away without that darned stroller and you make a promise that if M gets really tired you will carry him, you should be prepared to be carrying said 31 pound boy around Legoland for a good portion of the day. See: something new. Two somethings, really, because the back ache came free of charge.

1 comment:

feistywon said...

What a beautiful post! It brought tears to my eyes especially about the part of you being old friends. That's so neat and what a great day the two of you had! Here's to many more of those special moments together...