The “Last Time” Mom

Motherhood produces a lifetime filled with firsts and lasts that will ultimately define who you are, what you have done, and what will endure – sometimes it’s a hello, other times, it is a good-bye.

From our very first hello, the last times begin. The last time I imagine whose nose you will have and how it will feel to finally hold you in my arms. The last time I feel you stretch out your leg in my already extended belly.

There are so many firsts I will celebrate with you. However, with each new chapter we start or skill you master, there comes a last time. The last time I rock you to sleep as an infant. The last time I stay up late to wash a sink full of dirty bottles. The last time I frantically search for a dollar bill to slip under your pillow courtesy of the Tooth Fairy. The last time we turn in a school fundraiser sheet.

Some lasts are obvious, and I will know when it’s time to say good-bye. Others are less noticeable, and I didn’t even know they were gone or that I was going to miss them. The last time you build a tower of Legos. The last time you say, “Hey Mom, watch this!” as you take off on your bike sans training wheels. The last time I scrub grass stains from your pants. The last time I leave the house with a diaper bag in tow. The last time I push you “higher” on a swing. The last First Day of School sign made, and picture taken.

Here’s the hardest truth about motherhood no one ever tells you about: the last times. First steps quickly morph into running, running to riding, and at some point, leaving and flying. There will be a day where talking to Mom is phone call, instead of a holler down the hall; seeing Mom will mean a road trip, rather than a leap from the couch to the oversized chair.

The lasts happen just as much as the firsts, but they don’t have stickers commemorating the last times for purchase on Etsy. Rather, those moments are weaved in every fiber of raising a family. Every effort and action on our journey to raise children presents a multitude of celebrations, triumphs, and farewells. The last times signal growth, change, and an end.

Photo credit: Sally Cavanaugh Films and Photos
 
 
Tomi Dechant
Tomi is a mover, shaker, and baby maker - which means she enjoys a good dance party in the kitchen and is a mom to two monsters of her own creation. Tomi is from Kansas and is currently a Political Science instructor and author of the children's book, How to Make a Monster Smile.