I put the swing away today.
My youngest, my last baby, hasn't used it in almost 2 weeks. It was taking up space.
This is hard - harder than I thought it would be.
When you prepare to have a baby, you collect all the things; crib, car seat, swing, jumper, play mats, clothes (so many clothes!). When you and your baby are done with them, you often put it away for future babies, still holding on to them and the memories that are attached to them. I have done this a few times with 5 babies.
After my older two were done with their things, off they went to friends and family that could use them for their own babies. I was in my 20s and it didn't seem like such a big deal. I kept a few items to hopefully pass down to my children for their children one day. I thought I had put the "baby days" behind me.
Fast forward 8 years and I was doing it again. After I went through a regret stage over not keeping any of the big stuff, it was time to collect it all again. The car seat, crib, playpen, jumper, play mats, toys, cute little snow suits, tiny shoes that they never wear, the swing...
Now that my little guy is a year old, exploring the world, it is time to start packing those things away. It's time to pass them on to friends, my sister who is having her first baby, or even sell some stuff on Facebook. This time is different though. It feels so final - which is good! - but, now I have to come to terms with the fact that my baby isn't a "baby" anymore.
At first, I was excited to pass on all the cute little clothes and tell stories about my journey to find the perfect stain remover 🤣
I don't know what it was about the swing that made me hold on for so long. I knew he didn't need it, I needed the room, and I wanted my 4 and 3 year olds to stop playing in it all the time, but feeling that the baby stage was over really hit me this time.
Now, I will be 34 next week. I am totally done with the baby stage - plus, everyone know that is the easy part anyway - but I will miss it. Soon, he will be too busy to sit on my lap. He will be too big to cuddle with mom. He is growing up so fast and I feel like it just went by too quickly.
