It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life."
Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!
We made the commitment to watch two-year-old Bird for the weekend long before my dermatologic procedure was scheduled. I had not imagined that I would be dancing around these (temporary) physical limitations. It’s a good thing that Poppa is her favorite person on earth these days, because he did everything while I faded back.
Wait, no reaching down and scooping her up, into a big hug? No running laps around the kitchen and family room, chasing one another? No helping her up and down the steps? No reaching for that big heavy thing on the shelf that she simply must look at? No lifting her up onto the bar stool for meals? No wrestling with her about a diaper change? (This last, I accept.)
You don’t realize what you can’t do until you can’t do it.
The kids have played adult rec floor hockey for years, he in the men’s league, she in the women’s league, and together in the coed league. So far, they have kept up this healthy pastime even with two young children, carting the girls along to the games, alongside other young families doing the same. It’s their community, and gives them lots of joy.
Two times a year they have a ‘getaway,’ when they travel to tournaments without the babies, meaning a full weekend babysitting commitment for the grandparents – midday Friday until late Sunday night. (They are home earlier in the weekend if they lose – I’m not ashamed to say that I do find myself rooting for a loss.)
Even with both sets of grandparents able to help out, this is a big commitment for the babysitters. This past year, they began taking four-year-old Frog to the tournaments with them, which I think is very exciting for her and lightens the load for us. This past weekend, little Bird was absolutely aware that her family was gone without her, and I suspect that she, too, will troop along at the next tournament, six months from now.
Tony and I met playing rec softball, down on the Mall in Washington, D.C. We continued to play a bit after the children were born, but by the time we had two on the sidelines to manage – well, the desire to play simply faded. Our third child has no memories of Mom and Dad playing softball, that is for sure. Tony and I did a good bit of running as the boys grew, participating in a variety of local low-key ‘races.’ Running is wonderfully flexible, allowing one of us to be out while the other was home with the children.
Children grow, things change, transitions go on and on.
You don’t realize what you’re no longer doing until you’re no longer doing it.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Clicking the title of any post will open a comment box at the bottom of the page. I love hearing from you.