Sunday, November 8, 2009

I hope that someone can relate to this

Today I taught Sunday School as usual at church and Blake had Isaac in the hall as usual. I guess a nursery leader came up to him and told him it was time for Isaac to go to nursery. He's 17 months tomorrow--I guess they like to transition in from 17 to 18 months. She took him from Blake and walked to nursery. When I walked out of Sunday School, the nursery leader found me and told me that Isaac was doing great but he needed a diaper change. But I was supposed to bring him back after he was cleaned up.

What? He's in nursery? But he's not 18 months yet!!!

I changed him, grateful that he needed me. I walked down to nursery, certain he wouldn't want to stay again. When we got there, he looked at the nursery leader and at the kids eating snacks and looked at them like, "Hey, I was just here. And it was fun. At least, it wasn't too bad." He didn't look back at me and the nursery leader got him up to the table to eat some animal crackers. The leader looked at me and said, "Marie, I think it's time to make a graceful exit."

So I left. And I couldn't help crying through Relief Society, the last meeting of church.

My baby is getting so old.

I'm not ready for this.

6 comments:

Sarah McK said...

I'm sure that MANY mothers can relate to this! But I also think that this is a GREAT blessing! Considering what a Mama's Boy Isaac is and how infrequently he is left with anyone but his loving Mama I thought that he would have a terrible time transitioning! What a blessing that the transition is going smoothly and that you don't have to worry sick about leaving him all alone in there. And now you may actually be able to LEARN something in church again! You should have sat by us in Relief Society. We just told you not to sit in that one chair because it was JJ's and I've seen her yell at people for less. She had already shushed us several times. :)

Lucy said...

Sorry. I can't relate! I was counting down to when my kids could go to nursery. Even today I thought, "Only 5 more months..."

KevandChels said...

Awww! Were you really crying? You're a sweet mom. I have to admit I've been counting down too. Peter went for the first time today and I ran away so I couldn't hear him crying, so sad. He's just barely started another round of stranger anxiety. Jill's going to singing time for the first 30 minutes of the second hour so she's not there to help him for that time. She's getting too big. Oh yeah, and I think it's time for another one if you can actually listen in church;)

megan said...

Marie, you told me that Isaac went to Nursery but I didn't know he went without you knowing! That would have bothered me. I totally relate as I cried last week when Hannah went for the first time. Like I said yesterday, 2 hours is a long time - especially for us first-time moms! I hope Isaac continues to like it so you can feel at peace each time you drop him off.

jeremiah said...

I'm cool with people counting down to big milestones...but I'll never understand it. I hate hate hate hate hate (hate hate) watching kids grow up! Especially my kids! They should just stay little forever.

Oh yeah, and don't even think about having another one until we do.

J said...

As the nursery leader in question I'd like to clarify a few things. We were just given a list of all of the little children in the ward that Sunday. The children that were too young for nursery had Xs listed next to their names on the attendance list but I's was blank like the other children already eligible for nursery (no birthdates on this particular form). When another leader asked me why he wasn't in their I offered to go get him. Blake said that he was still a bit young but when I said he could go anyway and he could go to Sunday School he said okay. It was not, in any way, my intention to take him away from you unknowingly and if you prefer to wait and send him when he's older that's fine. (And if you prefer to stay with him the first few times that okay too . . . It just sometimes makes the transition more difficult). I can tell you that he did great while he was there and played nicely with the other children.

And who knows . . . perhaps there was a bit of transference on my part. Between my callings and my own little ones I haven't been to more than a handful of Sunday School and Relief Society meetings in years and I would love to be able to. Nevertheless, be assured that it was not my intention to offend or make your little one growing up more difficult for you. My own are growing up way too fast!