Between my flight being delayed and the incredibly ridiculous lack of cell phone lots at the Pittsburgh airport, it was inevitable that Alexis would fall asleep in the car Friday night. When Mr. Husband had to slowly drive around in a big circle for over an hour, it created the perfect storm for the poor kid to pass out.
I was, admittedly, a little disappointed. I like seeing my kid every day. I had already missed one day, so I wasn't real excited to miss another. But then that thing where Alexis can't be moved when sleeping took a turn for the good; she woke up as we brought her into the house. She was perfectly chipper, despite the late hour, so she and I changed into pajamas and piled onto the couch for a little cuddling and TV.
As the 40-pound ball of sweetness and sass curled up in my arms, I directed the remote to find the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics. A few minutes into the spectacle, I felt the whoosh of a time shift come over me. Suddenly, it was as if Alexis and I were reliving many, many moments of four years ago. She was a newborn; I was a sleep-deprived first-time mom.
I'm sure I'm not the only mom who doesn't remember much from that first month of life with a newborn. What I do remember is watching the Winter Olympics. A lot. At all hours of the day and night. We would rock back and forth in the nursery rhyme-covered glider in her room for hours. I would stare at the tiny 13" TV that was tucked into the "office" within the closet, grateful that the Olympics were on at 4:00am since there was no cable or satellite in that room.
We sat cuddling together as Bode Miller was unexpectedly disqualified. We rocked gently in our chair as Hannah Teter rocked hard on the halfpipe. Apolo Ohno sped his way to medal after medal as we sat peering through tired eyes. We looked on as Sasha Cohen gracefully leaped and spun her way to gold.
Each memory came rushing back to me as I happily cuddled with the child that no longer resembles that newborn she was during the last Olympics. And now we're left to watch together as new memories are formed, as new legacies are created, and as new moments of pride are born.
