Wow! It has been a crazy few weeks here at our house. It feels like I blinked and Spring Break just happened, but now we’re staring down Memorial Day, my son’s graduation from preschool, and the unofficial kick-off of summer!

It is absolutely surreal to have a five year old, and to have had a conversation about the sunset of his SMPC playgroup, the Kiddie Cats. I remember attending a play date with a group of moms with multiple children, hearing them talk about their older kids’ playgroup and thinking that there was an infinite distance between that moment, holding my three month old in my lap, and the prospect of a group no longer being necessary because friendships had solidified, people had moved on, babies were kids.

Yet here I am, sappily replaying that moment with another baby on my lap, but with the wisdom of knowing that this time is indeed finite, and the biting, wood chip consuming, 4:00 am nursing sessions, and general feeling of fatigue will soon be distant, overtaken by sleep training, more consistent routines, and a subdued oral fixation. And then babyhood will be for other caregivers to enjoy.

I have decided to approach this spring with a renewed desire to enjoy these days that often feel so rushed, and I hope we can all take a few moments to step away from our chaos and perhaps step into nature or another space that brings calm, and soak up the moments that will be what we look back on in a few years as the ones that make it worth it. Whether it’s a milestone your baby is working toward and proudly accomplishes or a story time cuddle with a book you’ve read 6,000 times and counting, may that moment work its way into your forever memories and be a touchstone in the future.

Sincerely,
Rachel Kammeyer
SMPC President
president@sanmateoparentsclub.org