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Monday 18 June 2012

Bye bye Baby.....

I cleared out a cupboard in the kitchen the other day. Now, before you think that I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel today, it wasn't just any old cupboard. It was my baby bottle cupboard - and I've had one of those in our kitchen for, oh, nearly thirteen years!
In days gone by, and even when the baby became a toddler, the bottles were just pushed further to the back to gather dust, while sippy cups, crackers and raisins jostled for space at the front instead. I didn't actually get rid of them...and although I wouldn't have admitted it to you at the time, maybe I just wasn't ready...until now.
It's not that I'm feeling broody again- I promise you, I'm not! I ADORE the stage that Luke is at now, a lot more than the baby stage, if I'm honest. With the others are at school, he's my wee mate! He chats away to me, (mostly incomprehensibly), from the back of the car, the front of the trolley, the seat in the cafe..and I love not having to carry a baby bag with bottles, clothes and food anymore.
And, although he's getting so independent, and trying so hard to be one of the gang, he's still my baby...It's never too long before he comes to find me- to climb on my knee for a cuddle, or stand with his head against my leg- before running off to the others again.
I've found that I'm enjoying and appreciating  the little things  much more than I used to - I was 28 when we started our family, 38 when Luke came along, and I think that ten years made a quare difference in so many ways! Now I KNOW how quickly these phases pass, no matter how trying or endless they may seem at the time, and that means I can appreciate them for what they are. Given that perspective, I can weather the storms, be they sleepless nights, colic, temper tantrums or potty training.
Of course, that's partly confidence too. I can look to my older children, and see that, despite everything, I haven't messed it up too much....so far anyway. Time and experience has taught me not to sweat the small stuff, (Just give them the feckin' dummy... and turn a blind eye when you see them eating cheerios off the floor!).
Thing is, when we'd got to this toddler stage in the past, we already had another baby, or one on the way, so it was definitely a case of just putting the head down and getting through...but not now. This time, we won't be down this way again, so I want to gently stroll along, with Lukey by the hand, and not dash past with a buggy, and a clatter of children struggling to keep up.
So yes, I certainly felt a little bit wistful, as I packed up all the bottles for my sister's bump. It's the end of an era round here, and the end of who I'VE been, for the longest time. I felt sad, and a little bit scared because.... who will I be now? 
But I felt something else too.....I think it might have been excitement. Because surely the end of an era means the beginning of a new one too, and it kinda hit me, that just as I'm leaving the whole pregnancy and infancy stage behind, I'm about to become the mother of a teenager! That's unfamiliar territory indeed, and I don't even have a sat nav!
 Recently, I've also found myself looking to a few experienced friends, (you ladies know who you are!), who have already navigated these milestones and transitions, and seem to be doing just fine. In fact, they tell me that there's lots to love...but that's a whole other blog!
 And as for my old bottle cupboard? Well, after cleaning it out, I declared it 'Mummy's Cupboard', issued warnings of 'Do Not Touch Or Even Open', and made it a home for all the treats I usually hide all over the kitchen-my red Lindt chocolate balls, REALLY good fudge, 80 cal bags of popcorn and my own personal box of Special K. Now, maybe it's time I considered putting a lock on it!?

17 comments:

  1. Aw, sweet. Good luck with the teen!

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    1. Thank you...I think I'm going to need all the luck I can get!

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  2. YOu brought me over familiar territory there Emma. I gave my baby things to charity to ease the loss! But when the time is right, it's right. Parenting a teen will keep you on your toes and as my baby is now heading that direction tooI'm happy to hold your hand along the way.

    Now let me tell you, its when they get to their 20's, o yeh, whole other ball game!!

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    1. Brenda- you know that you're my inspiration and I know I'll be in safe hands with you!

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  3. Oh Emma. - it does tug at the heart strings - so does watching your eldest drive off in her car waving bye as she heads to .... Well just about anywhere she wants let's face it

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    1. Now that's scary, Deirdre...and not too far away when I think about it- eeek!

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  4. ...and I haven't even started down this road yet but I'll have our Emsies to ring when I need help if I am lucky enough to have children. P.S Tim says can you just move in with us at the beginning to make sure the child sleeps through the night....you have the magic touch!xx

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  5. Tell Tim for the right price, I'll be there! (A wee bottle of Oyster Bay should seal the deal!)

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  6. Definitely need a lock. Unless you say it's where you keep all the really cool music you like and really want to share with your children. They'll never open it. And may indeed padlock it from the outside. (So you'll need a secret access panel from the cupboard next door.)

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    1. Very Mission Impossible I must say- I like your style! My brothers used to remove the back of the padlocked cupboard my mum kept all the goodies in- we took confectionary very seriously indeed in our house!

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  7. I hear ya!You have said it so well, you get so used to being the mummy of a baby. Have been thinking about this quite a bit lately, especially because I'm a sentimental oul fool.

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    1. Dara- I'm glad I'm not alone with the mixed feelings! We'll be sentimental ol fools together!

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  8. I'm dreading getting rid of the bottles! the monster still has one at 20 months.
    I've tagged you in a meme - hope that's ok. Only do it if you want to, there's no pressure. - it's a Yummy Mummy one!

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  9. Thanks for tagging me- I shall do it tomorrow!

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  10. great post, I think when you are in the baby stage it seems so normal and flowing to have another, but when you step out of that stage you don't really want to go back.. my youngest is 5 now and I am no longer broody for babies, yet when they were babies I was so broody and thought I would always want a baby as I really d love pregnancy and newborns, teenagers however they are just scary!

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    1. I know what you mean Sarah-time to move on. As for the teenage stage...I'll keep you posted!

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  11. Nice post, similar this end too, when my boy was my girls age, my girl was here lol.

    Its nice seeing them both chatting away to me and to each other.

    PS i have kept their first drinking cups lol

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