The last time I flew a kite, I was desperately trying not to disappoint my older daughter Naomi. I was eight months pregnant and her pre-K class was determined to prove that the month of March in fact, came in as a lion and left as a lamb. I did not want Naomi to be the only child running alone, flying a kite without mom by her side... So, there I was, tangled with the string, the kite and my big belly, running with Naomi and her little sister inside, bouncing up and down, feeeling like that baby would come out of me, either by mouth or regular delivery, at any time.
A few days ago, that pregnancy memory came back to me, so clearly... This time, I was exactly at the same place I was almost four years ago, doing the same thing I was doing before. This time, I was flying a kite again, but instead I was running with the little girl that four years ago, was a baby bouncing inside of me. This time it was Zoe's turn to learn about the force of wind and my turn to realize that time goes by, way too fast...
A strange feeling, a mix of happiness, satisfaction and some sort of sadness. The kind of feeling that makes you hesitate... Should I laugh or should I cry? A quick flashback in front of my eyes... Four very important years of my life have gone by between two flying kites!! Naomi left Pre-K and is now a second grader, Zoe left my belly and is now a Pre-K student, and me? ... I have no babies anymore. In exchange, I have two beautiful little girls who, on another turn of a page, will be teenagers, college students or who knows what...
My mind jumped off the kite and landed back on the field, where my little Zoe was struggling to keep Yo Gabba Gabba up in the air... At that very moment, I realized that parenthood is a ticking clock, constantly reminding me that there are precious moments to be enjoyed now, never later, never after. Short stages that fly away like a kite, before I can even realize they are gone.
At that very moment, a sudden urge embraced me... I must hold the string and fly more kites, I must get my face sticky and eat more ice cream, I must get my hands dirty and search for more worms, I must play and have more fun with my kids, before these simple, fulfilling moments are "Gone with the Wind".
By the way, yesterday after a month having a party, not in his tummy, but in the tree, Yo Gabba Gabba finally decided to come back down. The school garderner brought it to Zoe's hands, back to remind me that I must fly more kites.
