Even more strange (talk about a coincidence!) is that there is a girl here who calls me mama and has the same name as my little squishy baby. But she is almost six years old. Clearly, she cannot be mine. Mine is ever so much smaller. Why, she can't even walk!
Yet she calls me mama. "Mom", actually.
This girl is quite breathtaking. She has wide eyes of the most intoxicating green through which I can see her beautiful heart. She loves, she loves so well. She cares, she protects, she advises. She is so wise. And she is so silly. She tells the best jokes, she does a mean naked baby dance, and she can instantly assume the identity of any animal you can imagine.
She is also astoundingly clever. In fact, she tells me that she entered the Elementary program at her school yesterday. Her parents must be so proud. I wonder if they miss the days when she was a sweet little baby like mine. Or do they spend each day growing more in awe of her, more in love with her, unable to hide how smitten they are with each new skill, each discovery, each challenge that she navigates? I'm willing to bet that both are true. I know I find myself thinking about what my baby will be like at 5, 10, 15 (god help us), 20...and I have to stop myself to remember that those days will come, but these days, these early days, won't come again. If only I could stay awake long enough to witness them!
Now where is that chubby little monkey?
