Each Day is the Start of Something New

A few days ago, on one of Little Man’s first days of preschool, I was at work, watching the world go by outside. As I was watching a lady walked past, with a baby in a pushchair and a toddler following behind, doing that toddle waddle that they do for a few months after learning to walk.

I watched them walk along the road, with a mixture of emotions. The first was at how gorgeous the toddler was, that cute little toddle and messy hair and the next was a pang of sadness that I will never again push a baby in a pushchair, in the middle of the morning, whilst it’s sibling toddles behind.

I realised then that those days are gone. I am no longer that slightly harassed looking woman, trying to get the baby to sleep, running errands and getting odd jobs done with a toddler plodding along behind me.

It made me sad as I realised that those years of days just like had disappeared before my eyes and I felt like, at the time, I was harassed and busy, so much so that I didn’t really take them in enough. But those days definitely happened.

I have so many photos of the children in their pushchairs, of toddlers toddling and of me, looking slightly less harassed that span those years. They just went by so fast.

But, now, instead of pushing a baby in a pushchair I have little hands to hold that fit perfectly into mine. And instead of a toddler following me along I have children who want to scoot, stopping at lamp posts to wait patiently for me to catch up.

Instead of being harassed I can wave them off at school and then take my time, getting things done and watching the clock, waiting for their school days to end so I can hold those little hands again.

Before long they’ll both be in school all day, they’ll hold my hand less, they’ll talk about bigger things and they’ll be happy just walking by my side. They’ll carry their own bags, go to after school clubs and make plans with their friends.

Once, I pushed a baby in a pushchair, and now I watch them scoot off in front and tomorrow may bring something different, another change and something else saved to the memory bank. So I am enjoying today, and what it brings without being saddened by the past. Because today is only here for a short time and each day brings something new, something different and something else we will love just as much as that toddler waddling down the road after us.

Each Day is the Start of Something New

Author

  • Donna Wishart is married to Dave and they have two children, Athena (13) and Troy (11). They live in Surrey with their two cats, Fred and George. Once a Bank Manager, Donna has been writing about everything from family finance to days out, travel and her favourite recipes since 2012. Donna is happiest either exploring somewhere new, with her camera in her hand and family by her side or snuggled up with a cat on her lap, reading a book and enjoying a nice cup of tea. She firmly believes that tea and cake can fix most things.

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9 Comments

  1. Aww! This is so lovely….
    They do grow up so quickly!
    When my two were younger I used to wish they could walk so I didn’t have to use a pushchair. Now I really miss those days. My girls are 14 and 9 and are needing me less and less 🙁 x

  2. I hope he had a lovely first day at preschool. I am really feeling this at the moment, my ‘baby’ learnt to walk only around 2 months ago, and has been walking home from school, my ‘toddler’ has just started pre-school too so I guess I am coming to terms with my ‘baby’ actually being a toddler… Its so bittersweet thinking of all the lasts isnt it? I have a few more years left before Ava starts school, but I feel like I will be lost already. I think you are so right about enjoying what we have now, and cherishing it, even through the frazzled times (although I am looking forward to the slightly less frazzled days!)

    1. I really miss those days. I wrote a post once, I think, unless it was in my head, about the whole world being asleep apart from baby and I. It was such a close, special time. But, when it’s every few hours every night it’s really hard to appreciate it. I miss those days x

  3. Aww I love this and I kind of relate as my 3-year-old starts full time preschool next week. They really do grow up way too quickly before our eyes. I wish we could hit pause. X

  4. Fab post and I totally agree, I’m loving now and looking to the future. The past was lovely but one day we’ll be able to enjoy their babies and do the grandparent thing of spoiling them and giving them back. I can’t wait!
    Nat.x

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