Every once in a while I get a hankering for the earliest days with my boys. It usually happens when Jeremy is asking me for an iPhone or growing out of his shoes or inquiring about girls. That’s when I start reminiscing about his toddlerhood and preschool years, when his curiosities were limited to his very small three-year-old world.
A few days ago we got caught up watching home videos. The boys giggled at their baby voices and got embarrassed at the video of them in the bathtub together, but I beamed. I soaked in their big blue eyes and wide smiles. How different parenting was then – the daily work of doing everything for them. It was mostly physical and, therefore, exhausting. Now we’re in the transition of parenting being more emotionally and mentally taxing, and from what I hear, it continues down this path indefinitely.
So for now, today, I’m remembering this three year old, when our conversations had nothing to do with Minecraft or computer privileges or being trusted to stay home alone. Our talks were sweet and simple and involved clarifying that bagel was indeed basil.