Schedule, Interrupted

Last night I was struck by a couple of memories and then felt so grateful that there is calm in place of where there was so much worry.

My friend’s daughter was having a birthday party. I needed to take my son to the party, stay for a little while, meet some other friends for dinner, and then we were off as a whole family to a hockey game.

Last year, we did this same exact thing – attended the birthday party before a hockey game. Except, last year, I was more frantic! I was in a rush. I was nervous about sticking to Parker’s SCHEDULE. I was afraid he would be too hungry before we left the birthday party and ran off to dinner and hockey. I had to make sure I carried enough baby stuff around for all three events. I remember the anxiousness and nervousness of all the night’s events.

Last night, I was not nervous for any of it. I knew we would have a good time wherever we went. We went to the party. I relaxed and talked with people. Parker played.

I saw a new mother there with her little newborn baby in a carrier. The baby was sleeping. I remember taking my own newborn to a party once. I was, again, NERVOUS the whole time, ready to murder anyone who threatened to wake him up. I was afraid he would wake and cry and everyone would watch as I tried to console him. I was afraid I would have to put down the cake and tend to him instead of having a delicious moment to myself.

We left the party and met my husband at another friend’s house where they were eating dinner and getting ready for the hockey game. Parker and I got there, sat and ate our own dinner, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves for a little bit.

At the hockey game, near the end of the game, I looked for the clock in the stadium to check the time. And, yet again, I was struck with ANOTHER memory that was a tell-tale sign of how far we’ve come. When we first started bringing Parker to hockey games, my eyes were always GLUED to the clock. I was NERVOUS about keeping him up to late. I would take him home early from the game so that the bed time SCHEDULE could be followed.

Last night, we stayed for the whole game without a worry about the SCHEDULE. We knew that everything was GOING TO BE ALRIGHT. We were just hanging out, enjoying ourselves, and I only looked for the clock because I was curious.

Those who know me will be shocked by the following tid-bit of information. Parker never even had a nap yesterday! GASP! He was too excited for hockey (he LOVES it), and never ended up sleeping. In the past, I would have been FREAKING out. I would have WORRIED about him being cranky, not being able to go to hockey, and a messed-up SCHEDULE.

Last night, it didn’t worry me. He is at an age where if a nap is occasionally skipped, it’s ALL GOING TO BE ALRIGHT.

Whew. We’ve come a long way, baby. And, no, this does not mean it is time for another one. We are just ENJOYING ourselves. Hanging out. Checking the clock only if we’re curious.