The Babes

February 11, 2008 at 6:12 pm (God Bless the Child, Potpourri)

 

Don’t ask me why, but I always wanted kids.

In some ways I may have been the prototype for a “modern” woman who considers her career an imperative, and I certainly can’t begin to imagine giving up my (ok: more or less) intellectual and professional pursuits to spend 100 % of my time folding laundry, baking cookies or planning yet another perfect 4-course meal.

On the other hand, I looked forward to the “little things” about having kids.

I remember them snuggling into bed with me, and on Saturday mornings – when I was still knocked out after another late night at the office – transforming my sleeping body into a comfortable lounger while they watched TV in my room. I also remember taking them to the local market as small children, then stopping on the way home for an ice cream or something else good to eat. I remember visits to playgrounds and play dates with friends. I remember making rice pudding (TheGirl LOVES it), or playing games like UNO (TheBoy was terrible at games of knowledge – and an even worse loser).

I remember taking TheBoy along with me to a seminar along the Rhine, so we could have Thanksgiving dinner with another expat friend and her family there. (Remember that, Dawn?) I also remember taking TheGirl to London and Oxford for her 12th birthday, and seeing the look of absolute horror on her face when she realized I was dragging her to see “Starlight Express” (“You mean they’re going to SING?????” – she ended up loving it, by the way).

Needless to say, they are kidlets no more. TheGirl will be 25 in November; TheBoy will be 23 in April. But as stressful and frustrating (and sometimes painful) as that time of my life sometimes was, I still miss those days when they were “Mommy’s little girl” and “Mommy’s little boy”. I miss their innocence – and the promise it held for all of us.