Here’s to you, my fellow toddler moms of yester year!
This morning I took yet another trip to the “big city” to visit my ENT. Since these appointments do not come around terribly often, I usually take time to drive through some enticing morning coffee shop to get myself a yummy coffee. Today however, I decide Panera Bread sounds like a treat since a I haven’t been there for years.
Toddler Mom Days
I am driving down the highway, thinking of what I might get at Panera, when a flood of Panera memories wave into my brain.
When my kids were really young, I and my fellow toddler mom friends would haul our littles to Panera once in a while for a morning out. It mostly served as a treat for the moms, but the kids enjoyed time with each other as well. We would put tables together and all crowd around the makeshift eating area. Sometimes the kids were interspersed among the moms. Sometimes just babies stayed with moms while the older ones (meaning age 3,4 or 5) sat together at one end. I can’t say that no chaos or drama joined us at our big table, but more good than bad ensued. We would enjoy our own coffee, ask each other what the other drank, and just chat the morning away. Lots of stories, teasing and laughing filled our time together.
Numbers Dwindle
As the kids enter school age, the numbers at Panera lessen. The oldest kids of the group were off to kindergarten, and moms who decided to home school had education filling their mornings. Those of us who still could make Panera outings, however, just had to bring our younger kids and we thought we had won the lottery. Less noise, less interruptions and less complaining made for an even more beautiful mom morning out. And now the moms could get themselves a sweet treat in addition to coffee! Less mouths to feed means more money to go around.
Even Better!
A few more years went by and all the kids spent their days in school. Some moms were still available to make Panera runs, so we took turns driving whenever it worked for us to get away for a few minutes of heaven on earth. We shared stories about our kids and husbands (all good of course), soaking in a few moments of being women on our own. We all put our families first and love them with our entire being, but there is something about bonding with friends that recharges a woman’s batteries in a healthy way. I am forever thankful for these blessed outings.
Snap Back to Reality
So back to this morning as I am driving and reminiscing…
After mulling over our fun mom mornings, my mind fast forwards to the current day. Of course so much has changed. A couple of my fellow moms teach full time. Some work part time. One has a terminal illness. A couple still home school their younger kids. Some have older teens but also have children in the very young stage. Some have sent their oldest to college. There are those that hate to see their kids grow up. And there are those who love that the kids have grown.
Important Parts Haven’t Changed
Me, I feel like I received the best of both worlds. I was blessed to share my toddler mom years with a group of wonderful women. And I am blessed to still have those mom friends as we watch our children grow up. Some moms I see all the time. Some I see here and there. But they are my circle. I am thankful for each and every one.
Sure, things have changed, but change is one of the blessings of growing older. We get to gain insight, friends, knowledge and love. And friends get to do it together. Enjoy every minute young toddler moms. You are among the good ole days, but there are just as many great days ahead.
