The Speed Of Motherhood
The realization of how quickly time passes actually moved me last week when I took my eight year old daughter to the pediatrician. She had complained about her chest hurting for more than a week, "Mom, it feels like someone hit me, but no one did." Later she told me she felt a lump. When I checked her, I felt it too. Immediately, I was filled with dread as I thought the worse, "She must have a cyst. Oh no."
I arrived at the pediatrician office as I normally do, with all three of my kids in tow – ages 8, 6 and 3. We all crammed into the examination room as the doctor asked me and my daughter about her symptoms. Then, the doctor looked at me and smiled, "So, has she talked to her friends about this?"
Me: "What? Uh, no. Why would she do that?"
Doctor: Silently smiling with empathy.
Me: Pausing. Thinking. Then going into a panic, "Wait. Don't say it. I'm not ready for this. Don't tell me she's growing boobs!" Yes, my normally cool, articulate self had been body snatched and replaced with a panicked mom coming to the realization that her baby wasn't a baby anymore.
Doctor: "Well, let me just do a quick check to be sure."
Me: Rambling, "Oh my gosh! I feel so old! What am I going to do? No. I can't. I'm not ready!" Seriously, I lost my mind in that exam room.
Doctor: Still smiling, "Yes, she has breast buds."
Me: Dying inside. Tears welling up in my eyes.
Doctor: So sweet and understanding, "I can see that you're in denial," smiling, "Let me suggest some resources…read The Care & Keeping of You first, then read it with your daughter…"
And with that, a quick office visit changed my life – again. But that's the nature of motherhood. One day, you think you've got it all figured out and the next you're thrown a curveball that rocks your world.
It's been more than a week since that fateful doctor's visit and I'm slowly growing into my new role as a mother of a pre-pubecent girl. Every day my daughter pops into my room to give me a status update on her breast buds and asks, "So, when can we go bra shopping?" She's so stinkin' excited about it! Meanwhile, I've been pulling out her baby pictures wondering how motherhood passed so quickly. If the first part went this fast, I'll be sending her off to college in no time.
She must be thinking the same thing because as I wrapped up this post my daughter walked into my office, "Hey Mom, when I go to college how big do you think my breast buds will be?"
Dear Lord…