Okay, now I get it.
I always wondered why other moms would stare so longingly at my newborn, especially when they would start to tear up or literally look as though they wanted to eat my baby right then and there. I naturally assumed it had something to do with how incredibly adorable both of my babies were (yes, I’m biased), but sometimes the whole encounter just seemed a little weird.
Fast forward to present day. My youngest is no longer in diapers and I know that we’re not going to have another baby. Whenever I see a woman walking along with a newborn baby I’m drawn to the baby like a moth to a flame. It doesn’t matter if I don’t know the woman, or if the baby is crying, cooing, or asleep. Whatever the circumstances, I can’t help but gravitate toward the baby and hold myself back from reaching out and trying to snuggle with him or her.
Now I get it. Now I understand what it is like to have experienced having a newborn baby in your arms, and then when your kids start to grow you miss the feeling like crazy. You forget all about the sleepless nights, the sore nipples, and the really gross diapers. All you know is that you would love to recapture the feeling – if only for a minute – of having a newborn baby nestled in your arms.
So if you see me longingly staring at your newborn, don’t worry. I’m not insane. I just miss the feeling of a newborn in my arms. I speak on behalf of all moms who have toddlers and preschoolers, by the way. Don’t be afraid of us…just take our staring as a compliment of how incredibly cute your baby is.