First smile. First food. First tooth. First haircut. First steps.
Every milestone in my son’s baby book is filled in. The date is marked, a photo was taken, and I cherish those moments. They’re special, of course, and probably the ones he will ask about when he is older. But, as it turns out, it’s the tiny, fleeting milestones that are most meaningful to me.
Unfortunately, I didn’t start writing these little milestones down from the get-go. They happened and I paused, soaking in the sweetness and attempting to lock them in my core memories. But, because there wasn’t a proper spot in his baby book for “first expression of sympathy,” I didn’t make a physical note. I just let it happen and then fall away, stored in my memory but never officially documented.
But these are truly the moments worth remembering. Who cares about teeth?! They all eventually come in!
So, I decided to fill in the baby book lines and partner it with a blank journal. This is where the real magic would be recorded. Like the time my toddler saw me crying and responded with a comforting hug and a “shhhhh.” He saw pain and cared. He was drawn to offer comfort. And his hug was balm to my soul. His whisper of reassurance and the tissue he offered dried my tears.
Then there was the other night. He had nursed in my arms while we rocked in our glider, and we sang our special goodnight song. And then, at the last moment, when he was drifting off to sleep, he reached out to hold my hand. A tiny gesture that said, “Mama, I see you. You are my everything. I know I’m safe with you.” And I felt so much of the same.
It happens more and more. These abstract, perfect milestones.
Now that I’m mindful to watch, I see them almost daily. Like when he first saw hail out the window and in awe called it “chunk snow.” His eyes grew wide and he just stared. Never had he ever seen something so loud and big fall from the sky. Honestly, I wish I could still experience weather so profoundly. Thank goodness I have him to reintroduce me to the world. A similar experience happened when he noticed a rainbow in the sky recently. He gasped in absolute wonder at the beauty of the earth. Life through his eyes is miraculous.
His baby book journal is now full of these stories:
The first time he replied “Thank you” to a stranger.
The time he met his baby cousin and gently kissed her head — more gentleness than I’d ever seen his rough-and-tumble self express.
Oh, and that day he finished his lunch and not only took his plate to the sink but asked for a towel to clean his place at the table.
Moms and dads, chronicle the small moments. The ones that supposedly don’t matter — but really, truly do matter most. I promise, you’ll treasure these special milestones more and more with each passing year.
