an apology to the couple with the baby at the eyeglass store

To the lovely young couple with their sixth month old baby shopping for eyeglasses,

Thank you for letting me stare longingly at your beautiful, baby girl, even though I know it bordered on creepy because I was almost in tears, and stood there looking and cooing for an unreasonable amount of time, and I even touched her cute little foot. I know better not to touch other people's babies, especially their first baby. I could not resist. Because my own have grown. And that foot of hers was so stinking small. I had forgotten. I had forgotten how tiny and dependent and precious they are. I am sorry if I freaked you out.

But what I am most sorry for is giving you my unsolicited advice on how to raise her.

Yes.

I have become that woman.

I am sorry for telling you to never buy her a cell phone or let her play video games.

She is just six months old.

You have some time.

It could have waited.

Plus, I am a total stranger. Emphasis on the strange. And you did not ask me my opinion on cell phones or video games or anything for that matter. Not even eyeglasses, which would have at least made sense, considering where we were. But you see, it appears I have reached that age where I talk to everyone, knowing them or not. My children have pointed this "talent" of mine out quite often. "You are just like Grandma" they have told me.

Just. Like. Grandma.

That is what I have become.

We think that won't happen.

We think lots of things won't happen.

I am beginning to learn that most of it does happen.

But back to my apology.

I am also sorry for forgetting to tell you to make sure you eat dinner as a family every night. It really is important. Hopefully I will run into you again so that I can tell you. I am sure you can't wait.

18 years after giving birth I am finally understanding why I was given so much advice when I never asked for it. Older mamas? We have been through war. We are still fighting. We have seen things and been places with and for our babies we never had imagined.

And as I walked out of the store, I said a quiet prayer in my head for you and your tiny baby...because this is a big world and when the little ones outgrow things like cribs and car seats and we remove the plugs from our outlets and the cushions from the corners of the coffee table...then the safety and protection really begin. Our grown up babies? It is a whole new game now, isn't it?

God bless you and your beautiful little girl. I promise, if I ever see you again, I will simply smile and say, "she's beautiful." And then I will walk away, whispering a quiet prayer.

Sincerely,

the emotional and crazy lady at the eyeglasses place that has clearly turned into her mother and wants to shove her kids back into car seats with buckles and straps for the rest of their lives