September 27, 2008 | Mama Smith

these moments

Many, many days this whole mothering thing simply wears me out and I wonder how I’m going to survive until 7pm when the last book is read, the last kisses are bestowed and the boy’s bedroom door is closed behind me.

Then there are moments like yesterday. When the boys managed to mischievously scoot the step stool over to the bathroom sink, dig up some measuring cups from the kitchen, and spend a full half hour sculpting bubble hats for each other, blowing suds across the room, and listening to the sound of crackling bubbles in their ears.

The hysterical giggles lured me in from folding clothes in our bedroom. They sheepishly looked over at me hoping I wasn’t about to ruin their fun.

Despite the river of sink water that was trailing across the floor towards me, moments like these sometimes catch me off guard. Reminding me that in just 18 short years both boys will be off doing who-knows-what, maybe in college, maybe traveling the world. And I’ll probably find myself in our bathroom washing my hands and have flashes of these chubby, soapy fingers.

And these goofy faces.

And I’ll probably feel like giving anything at that moment just to rewind 18 years to a sudsy, sopping wet bathroom with two giggling, soaking toddlers. Even if that did include a sink full of dirty dishes and three weeks worth of laundry still to fold.