Mama-Come-Lately

As I was coming back from lunch yesterday, I spotted a neighbor helping his wife up their front steps. I knew her due date was next week, so I stopped and called out, “Congratulations!” Followed quickly by, “Is everyone okay?” The answer, thankfully, was yes.

I am just itching to see their brand-new baby boy, but I remember very clearly how overwhelming those first few days and weeks were. Starting with the first trip to the pediatrician — the idea of putting that fragile little being in a big carrier and strapping him in like a teensy NASCAR driver and then putting him in the car was just so weird! Like, I’m supposed to let go of him? For longer than five minutes? And put him in that big hard thing and get those straps on him and tighten them? How barbaric!

These days, of course, it’s second nature. Going to the store, going to lunch, going to the doctor, putting him in and taking him out. No big deal, and now it’s hard to remember a time when I wasn’t doing all of that. In fact, it’s a little freaky how quickly having a baby became the new normal, how it suddenly became difficult to recall life before he arrived.

And now a new little family down the street is going through the same wonderfully crazy, bizarre, amazing time. I just hope I don’t cry when I see that itty-bitty and all my memories of my baby’s first days come flooding back.

Fat chance! Already happening!