It never seems to fail that every year when the summer comes to a close and the first cool breeze of the season blows in, I get nostalgic. And even though, until tomorrow, it's still technically August, this past week has been like the perfect September. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year and I ALWAYS get wrapped up in nostalgia...over things like back to school--when everyone else returns to campus after summer session is over, shopping with all my girlfriends for the perfect homecoming dress, watching my crush play in the first high school football game of the season, trick-or-treating no matter what--rain, shine, or sleet, all of my countless birthday parties filled with all of the friends I've met along the way. I think the last birthday party I had was my Sweet Sixteen, one that I'm sure my poor mother would like to forget.
But today the overwhelming nostalgia I felt was for holding Anna Jane when she was just a tiny little newborn. The cool air brought on this vivid memory of her at probably 8 weeks old...she was wearing this cute knit pink hat, Bengals jersey onesie, and little tan corduroy pants. It was a gorgeous October day, a lot like today, just cooler...and obviously a Sunday cause the Bengals were playing. After cheering them on for a bit, I strapped her into the Baby Bjorn and we went for a long walk down Lincoln Ave, just the two of us. She was so happy that day, those big brown eyes just taking it all in....so much to learn. If only now I could just have 5 minutes in that moment again...
Today she moved into the early preschool class and everyday I watch her become more and more independent, more and more confident, become more and more a little girl. Almost daily, I tell myself, remember everything about this right now...how her face looks, what her voice sounds like, hold her as much as she'll let you and enjoy her every moment...because soon she'll be thinking the same about her own children.
In the meatime, as they are busy growing, we can enjoy reliving some of the things that bring on our own nostalgia. It's one of the greatest things about being a parent...the halloween costumes we're picking out just aren't for us anymore.
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