Getting Spayed

Hysterectomy is such a long word---I'm going with 'spay' from now on!

Before today the life-changing permanence of this procedure had not effected me. I was never a 'my biological clock is ticking' type of woman and never felt that urge to procreate. But today a little boy grabbed my hand after storytime and I felt a deep sense of loss. Not my usual reaction as I'm around these tiny beasts daily and I usually 'oooh and ahhh' and happily wave good-bye. I think the reason I never felt a sense of missing out was that my brothers and sisters generously included me in the raising of their children, even if my job was only the fun-babysitting-aunt role BUT I got to teach them it is really OK to eat dessert before dinner once in a while!

There are many fond memories for me here......of trouncing Drew in putt-putt golf(no I did not let him win), having Michael drive us to the movie theater on his learner's permit (scary), sitting in Brittany's room talking about boys, going to dance rehearsal with Bethany, taking Neil and Isabel for professional photos and jumping into the picture too, meeting Tya at Wildwood and talking about life for hours in the car on the way to stay with Grandma, carrying Madeline in the baby bjorn in NYC into Saks and getting free gifts at the Chanel cosmetics counter because she was so cute, teaching Madeline and Zoe how to do a flip over the bar at the playground, these are the moments I cherish in my heart that make me smile at moments like this in my life.