We brought home another pile of books at the library and as I read one last night to Trevor and Mira it made me cry. It is by Karen Kingsbury with the above title. It isn't about 'firsts', it is about 'lasts'. The last time we needed to get up in the night with a baby, the last time we held them on our hip, the last colored picture... and it goes through the life of a little boy and ends with him going to college. We don't take pictures of 'lasts', we take pictures of 'firsts'. I've thought about that a lot as we've left babies and toddlers behind. There was a time when there was the last time I nursed, the last bottle, the last diaper change, the last butt-wiping. And when we're doing it, we don't know it is really the last. And that is a blessing, or we'd be sad as we go through life. So enjoy the moments knowing that some of them will be the 'last' time we do it....
On a silly note, I'm sure thankful that I had the last puppy 'pee spot' on the kitchen floor!!!
Just reading the title brings tears to my eyes. Craig and I have talked about having one more, and I'm trying to decide if its because I'm not willing to admit I let the "lasts" just slip by thinking I'd have one more or if its cuz we really should have a family of five. Somehow I just "feel" like we should have one more even if it does mean expanding and shrinking AGAIN, sleepless nights AGAIN, an increase in the chance I really WILL lose my mind, etc... What do you think? Two or three? I've heard conflicting opinions on the matter. I guess it all depends on the perspective.
ReplyDeletethat's why i have crying jags Linda..it's because i have found life is a series of "letting go" and i find that hard to do! thanks for the thought provoking post! and i'm glad it was the puppie's last pee....tee hee!
ReplyDeleteNice post, Linda. We don't really know it's the "last", until it's over, do we? I miss reading those picture books... more often than not, they made me cry more than entertained the kids. The kids just didn't "get" it, except on the level of reading time with mom.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting that, although I can't even imagine that day as we're still in the midst of the endless baby needs times two. I know I'll look back someday and miss this craziness no matter how hard it seems right now.
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