My two children no longer sit in a pram anymore. They are 5 and 3, and perfectly capable of walking short distances (or long-ish ones – with some whingeing involved) without the need of a sit-down or a nap.
I used to use a double buggy with them. The last time I used it was to travel with them alone by train and plane to where my sister-in-law resides… on an isle on the Irish sea. Close to home yet not so close. They both sat in it and I was able to walk fast and manoeuvre through crowds without calling out to little dawdlers who like to stop and stare at everything. I left the buggy at my destination back in January, and have not strapped my kids into one since.
It’s really bittersweet. No more pushing my two chunky babes around, taking them out for my afternoon walk and their afternoon nap. These days its go-go-go all day till they fall asleep at night and I collapse before them. When they come to me for a cuddle they’re more bones than baby chunk. If they fall asleep anywhere I am lugging awkward and heavy-ish child bodies and I can’t tuck and arrange them so easily on their beds anymore. If my son stretches when I carry him, his length is almost three quarters what mine is.
But folks, there are other sweet differences. My son and I can play a word game together and he can contribute. He kisses my cheek periodically during it and says I am his best mama in the world. He plays a capable game of chess now and when we read together we have some good conversations about the plot. He talks incessantly. He brings the entire world into his bedroom and it fills our space – his wonder is infectious – ‘mama what do you think would happen if the whole world was covered in ants?’ and ‘mama what would it be like if there was no more oxygen on earth anymore?’ and ‘mama what would it be like if there was no sky and only space over our heads’ and ‘mama what’s the tallest tree on earth? Is it taller than mount everest?’ and on and on and on until his heavy lids shut of their own accord and I look at the time and it’s nearly midnight. Three hours, sometimes, to put this little dreamer to bed.
My three year old sunshine girl has the cheekiest smile I have ever seen, and is consistently naughty and sassy in a way a three year old can be, but a five year old can’t. We are constantly reprimanding her and reminding her, and she pouts and throws herself dramatically onto the floor or runs to one of her uncles or her grandfather to avoid a telling off. But then she will throw a pair of chubby arms around my neck and tell me she is sorry and she will try to listen better ‘tomowwow’ – but tomorrow never comes. She loves dogs and all animals and she makes friends wherever she goes with people of all ages. I can’t take her anywhere without her stopping to have a (sometimes very long!!) chat with someone. She will stop, say hello, and ask questions. Usually it’s the elderly folk who seem to have time to engage her in real conversation – and children. And dog walkers!
And these things – these human things I am noticing about my children now that they have emerged from babyhood – these things make me realise every stage is to be savoured to its utmost.
Ocean Bream 