Today is my middle son, Matthew's 10th birthday. We celebrated with the usual. Cake, ice cream, fattening homemade dinner and of course presents. It always amazes me how quickly a kid can tear open a half hours worth of work wrapping. But that's the joy of being 10 I guess.
We had the very first Ice cream cake in our house this evening. Not bad to be honest.
You know it's crazy how time flies. I can still remember when he was a newborn, and I brought him home from the hospital. I kept thinking, they're letting me bring him home? I don't know a thing about being a mom. But my mother gave me some advice that day that has stuck with me everyday since. It'll come to you. Granted at the time it was really bad advice, I was terrified of hurting my baby. And when I say hurting I mean, not changing him fast enough, not getting his bottle fast enough, not holding him enough ect. You know all the everyday things that a new mom freaks out about. I went so far as trying to be a super mom. Staying up and clean the house from top to bottom while he slept (getting his days and nights mixed up) staying up with him at night while he wanted to play. Funny thing was I honestly thought that was the best thing. And then reality set in. I realized that I didn't have to be super mom and mother was right....it did come to me. After a few days I figured things out, learned to cope most of all I learned to sleep when he did. Never mind I figured out how to keep him awake all day (thus switching day and night back to where they belong) which meant he slept all night.
I guess what has me taking a trip down memory lane is the simple fact that my baby is 10. It's like, for some strange reason, a huge step forward. Is it the fact he's in double digits now? Is it the fact he's reaching pre-teen years? What is it that is so bittersweet about the 10th birthday for a mom? Perhaps it's the fact that when you look back the time has flown, and you're reminded that in 8 very, very short years they will move on with their lives. Perhaps go to college, find a wife and have a family of their own. And when you look back and see how quickly 10 years went you realize that 8 isn't that long at all. And you're faced with the realization that the next 8 will pass so much quicker. I'm not sure. All I know is this is a special birthday...almost as special as the 1st, in a way. It's the first of many double numbers, the first of the pre-teen years and one of the last few when you can give them a card with cartoon characters and they still like it.
I suppose I'm lamenting the past...wishing i could go back and experience all those years again. His first cry, tooth, smile, laugh, the first time he sat up, said mommy (or ma ma) his first step, first day of school....all those wonderful memories that are crammed into a baby book with all the pages filled in. I know all of you mothers out there can relate.
So...I'll leave you all with this thought. Cherish those precious years because much like a snowball rolling down hill they just get faster as they go along. And before you know it they're out of your control and all you can do is watch as they roll away all on their own.
Have a wonderful evening, everyone. I'm going to raid the freezer for more ice cream cake.
