Monday, October 6, 2014

Back on the Bike

Relax. This is not going to be some tiresome essay about the benefits of exercise. Go ahead. Finish that bagel/donut/cupcake. I'm not about to make you feel guilty for doing so. (I might, however, give you a hard time for not having one for me.) No, this one's about that feeling you get when you haven't done something for awhile; that shred of doubt that seeps into your psyche when you try to do something that you used to be pretty good at but haven't had a chance to practice lately.

Like taking care of a brand new human being.

Out of practice or not, my daughter and her hubby decided I was trustworthy enough to leave their precious baby with me for a couple of hours on Saturday. After guzzling his bottle in record time (and depositing the contents in his diaper almost immediately thereafter), it was time to show him around. I suppressed the urge to dig out his mother and uncle's old toys (although Tickle Me Elmo came close to making an appearance) and just carried him around from room to room letting him get his first real look at the place. His review of the place is still out but early indications point to the twinkling lights over the kitchen sink and the patterned comforter that hosted his tummy time being potential favorites.

When his parents came to collect him, he was sleeping peacefully in his Nana's arms. Yes, getting up and down from the floor was a little more difficult than I remember it being twenty-five years ago. Sure, there were a few gadgets in that diaper bag that I have never seen before (that snot-sucker is not something I'm eager to try). And I've been told that babies are no longer put to bed on their tummies. Other than that, not much has changed.

Holding a baby is still one of the quickest remedies for a bad day. Watching a baby is more entertaining than the hottest ticket on Broadway. And getting the chance to hug and kiss your baby's baby is a better gift than Ryan Reynolds under the Christmas tree.

This is going to be so much fun.

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