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Sunday, June 9, 2013

Seasons of Babywearing

There are so many seasons in life.

There are times to be young and free. That feels like spring to me. Just warm enough to be perfect most of the time with a few storms here and there. Before we know it spring morphs into summer.

Ah, summer. Too hot most of the time and yet, perfect. Ice cream, long walks at night and fireworks!

Then, we hit fall. Harvest and beauty of everything green turning golden. Of course, it is also a season of preparation as we all know the snow is close by.

Winter. For some, this is time to play and enjoy and for others it is just a season to get through and wait for the sun to return again.

Parenting has seasons like this.

For me, babywearing also has seaons. Short, precious seasons.

A year ago, I thought I had reached my winter of babywearing. I started packing away the carriers and preparing for new seasons and different adventures.

Things change.
(This is the "Kimber" wrap available from Wrapsody Baby.)

I guess one more spring won't hurt me.

Of course, this time I treasure it more. I know (seriously!) this is my last spring, summer, fall and winter of babywearing. Every moment is bittersweet. My dear little baby has already outgrown clothes and I'm finding my favorite newborn carriers are being tucked away for another mama to use someday (soon I hope). Every time I tuck my little guy into a wrap or a mei tai I give him a little kiss because I know these moments end all too soon.

These moments with our babies are too short. The seasons fly by. My daughter will be a teen in a year and a half. My other sons are no longer the tiny babies I toted around, they are these big, tough boys who help in the garden and open the door for me saying, "ladies first".

This is it for me. Every hug, drooly smile... I see all my babies in the eyes of this last, wonderful baby.

Seasons change for all of us and this time to hold our little ones close will be gone before we know it.

Please, take some time to treasure it. Take pictures to remember it. Write down these moments so one day when your little babies hand you your grandbabies you can tell them how fast it will go so they will learn what took you too long to realize.

Summer is almost here, both in season for me and in babywearing. I'm going to soak in the sun.