Babymoon

It's the latest craze. Couples running off for one more adventure before baby comes along. I figured I needed one too. Get away for the weekend with no little one around? Sounds great!

I found the perfect opportunity last weekend. With my brother getting married (which just seems impossible because I'm pretty sure he's still five), our family was helping to plan the bridal shower. So away I went to visit with the family and prepare for the big event. Leaving baby #1 behind. For the first time.

The ride up was strange. No kids' music blaring. No stops for diaper changes. I kept looking in the mirror and seeing the empty carseat. Weird. But then I arrived and things got busy. We helped decorate the hall and ran to Target for a few last-minute items. Noting the time, I decided to call home and say good-night to the little guy. See how he was faring without me.

Bad move. Baby is screaming in the background when Daddy answered the phone, "Mommy hold you! Mommy hold you!" Immediately I choked up. In Target. With a cart full of shower doo-dads and people milling about. "It's okay baby, it's okay! I'll see you tomorrow!" I'm basically begging him to be all right. But there's no convincing him. I can't stand it. I start pacing and seriously consider driving home right then. I beg Daddy to go in to him - hold him - rock him - WHATEVER IT TAKES! But Daddy is calm and I need to get off the phone before I lose it. Just then a little girl walked past, wailing. I want to scoop her up and tell her it will be okay - Mommy loves you! But I don't think her parents would have appreciated it.

So I choked back the tears and made it through my first night away from my son in over two years. He ran into my arms, begging me to read a story when I arrived home the next day. [Sigh] We had made it. And unlike me, he's probably not scarred from the experience. Just one more milestone in this epic journey called motherhood.