Every so often I miss the baby days. There aren't going to be anymore babies around here, unless someone leaves one on my doorstep. Above is a photo of the nursery waiting for A to be born, 9 years ago. It seems like just yesterday we retrieved the crib in pieces from the crawlspace under a friends' house, and washed and put it together, running to the hardware store twice to replace missing parts so it would be sturdy and safe. I clearly remember washing and ironing and folding all the little baby
clothes, most of them hand-me-downs, and many ones I had bought years
ago in anticipation of one day having a child. I'd bought the Emmaljunga pram from a resale shop and it was in pristine condition. Both my girls, and occasionally the cat (bad kitty!), slept in it.
Here's Little K, 3 months old, snoozing soundly in that carriage. Such plump cheeks, such a kissable bald head she had! I slept in the twin bed beside the carriage, and reached out with one hand to rock it when she stirred, and often she would drift right back to sleep with that gentle movement.
We reconfigured the nursery when K came along, since 22 month old A was still sleeping in the borrowed crib. We bought this white IKEA crib on clearance, as it was a "European Cot size" that didn't turn out to be popular in the USA. It was just the right size for the space we had. K started sleeping in it at 18 weeks, when she began pushing up and rolling, and I was afraid she might launch herself out of the baby carriage. K slept in it until she was 2 years old.
No one in our household sucks on a pacifier anymore, or rides in a car-seat. I love this photo of little K, with the two big bandages on her knees from falling while running. It was summer, so her knees were often bare, and she went everywhere at a full speed run. Whenever she fell, she fell hard. It got to the point where she wanted bandages on her knees "just in case" and I remember buying box after box of these big bandages for her. She loved to stick them on all by herself. I look at this picture and remember what a battle it was to get the girls in and out of their car-seats at times. Okay, I don't really miss those times. Today the girls hop in and out of the car by themselves. They buckle themselves, although I usually ask before I start the engine, "did you tighten the belt, is it nice and snug?"
I miss those afternoon naps. Sometimes I'd time it right and be home and both girls would sleep at the same time. Sometimes I'd even sleep, too! Once A entered preschool, I had a choice: go home and enjoy quiet time with Little K, or take advantage of errands with just one toddler instead of two in tow. No matter what my choice, Little K would usually snooze, because that baby loved her naps. Here she is in the midst of grocery shopping, sound asleep.
Oh, how I miss those baby days sometimes!
